This is the story of Cassandra S., on our first day in New Orleans we gutted the interior of her home, the first step in rebuilding.
Cassandra represents the true spirit of New Orleans. Cassandra's home was built by Habitat for Humanity in 2001; before Hurricane Katrina she was living there with her five children, her two brothers, husband, and three step-children. In Cassandra's words, "I have a big family and my house has always been the house where everybody goes." It was a home full of people, love, and Cassandra's exceptional cooking. As well as caring for her large family, Cassandra owned her own small business called Scotts Catering Service which catered various events - especially with her famous gumbo.
When the storm hit, Cassandra didn't have a working car to leave the city with. She pawned her computer in order to buy a starter for her car and drive everyone to Silver Creek, MS, where her uncle had a home. His house was already full, so Cassandra and her children stayed outside in tents, surviving off of generators. The family moved from Mississippi to Texas, where they spent a year with Cassandra's sister.
Cassandra returned to New Orleans East in 2007, living in two FEMA trailers outside her home. There was not enough space for all eight children - they slept on tables and sofas. For Cassandra, "this was one of the most miserable times of my life. I had just lost everything and we were living in these tiny trailers - but at least I was home."
After two years in trailers, Cassandra and her family began renting a house and using their Road Home money to begin rebuilding. It took about a year for her home to be finished, but when Cassandra went to see the completed house, she found the front door kicked in and all of the electric wiring and copper plumbing ripped out of her home. She was devastated, but determined to return home, and began rebuilding again. Once the home was finished a second time, she decided to elevate the house so it would be protected from future storms. However, the elevation contractor left the door unlocked one night and thieves came in again to smash open her walls and steal everything they could carry.
Seven years after the storm, Cassandra still refuses to hang pictures in the house she is renting now. She feels like "if I start hanging pictures it's like I'm not trying to get home anymore." Today Cassandra lives with her children as well as her teenage niece. Even after all this time, "being back home is the heaviest weight on my shoulders...I will feel more complete and my life can get going once again once we're home." SBP is honored to rebuild Cassandra's house and help her turn it back into a home full of family holidays and pots of gumbo that are still missed throughout the neighborhood.
For more information on the St. Bernard Project and how you can help families like the Scott's please visit their website.
Cassandra represents the true spirit of New Orleans. Cassandra's home was built by Habitat for Humanity in 2001; before Hurricane Katrina she was living there with her five children, her two brothers, husband, and three step-children. In Cassandra's words, "I have a big family and my house has always been the house where everybody goes." It was a home full of people, love, and Cassandra's exceptional cooking. As well as caring for her large family, Cassandra owned her own small business called Scotts Catering Service which catered various events - especially with her famous gumbo.
When the storm hit, Cassandra didn't have a working car to leave the city with. She pawned her computer in order to buy a starter for her car and drive everyone to Silver Creek, MS, where her uncle had a home. His house was already full, so Cassandra and her children stayed outside in tents, surviving off of generators. The family moved from Mississippi to Texas, where they spent a year with Cassandra's sister.
Cassandra returned to New Orleans East in 2007, living in two FEMA trailers outside her home. There was not enough space for all eight children - they slept on tables and sofas. For Cassandra, "this was one of the most miserable times of my life. I had just lost everything and we were living in these tiny trailers - but at least I was home."
After two years in trailers, Cassandra and her family began renting a house and using their Road Home money to begin rebuilding. It took about a year for her home to be finished, but when Cassandra went to see the completed house, she found the front door kicked in and all of the electric wiring and copper plumbing ripped out of her home. She was devastated, but determined to return home, and began rebuilding again. Once the home was finished a second time, she decided to elevate the house so it would be protected from future storms. However, the elevation contractor left the door unlocked one night and thieves came in again to smash open her walls and steal everything they could carry.
Seven years after the storm, Cassandra still refuses to hang pictures in the house she is renting now. She feels like "if I start hanging pictures it's like I'm not trying to get home anymore." Today Cassandra lives with her children as well as her teenage niece. Even after all this time, "being back home is the heaviest weight on my shoulders...I will feel more complete and my life can get going once again once we're home." SBP is honored to rebuild Cassandra's house and help her turn it back into a home full of family holidays and pots of gumbo that are still missed throughout the neighborhood.
For more information on the St. Bernard Project and how you can help families like the Scott's please visit their website.
