On a bitterly cold, windy day in early January, more than 40 fellows from the University of Alabama Blackburn Institute traveled to South Alabama to view the long term recovery of the Alabama Gulf Coast from Hurricane Katrina. With scheduled stops in Bayou La Batre and Gulf Shores, the Fellows met with citizens and community leaders to discuss education, workforce development, healthcare and disaster recovery. 

The Cambodian-American Community near Irvington graciously provided meeting accommodations for the Fellows to learn more about the impact of Hurricane Katrina on South Alabama. Thomas Davis and Michael Dillaber from The Community Foundation of South Alabama spoke to the group about “Dealing with Disaster”. The Community Foundation has invested more than $2.6 million in the long term recovery efforts of South Alabama. Projects that received funding from the Foundation included healthcare services for the poor, work force training for displaced workers, and disaster recovery efforts.

One of the projects highlighted was emergency preparedness for vulnerable populations. MDC, a North Carolina based nonprofit, teamed up with The Community Foundation of South Alabama and FEMA to reach out to Asian residents of South Mobile County to increase disaster awareness and preparedness. The joint effort resulted in emergency preparedness materials translated into multiple Asian languages and the construction of an Emergency Distribution Facility. The most important project accomplishment was the formation of relationships between leaders of the Asian community and local disaster service organizations.

The Blackburn Institute educates, unites, and inspires a network of ethical leaders with a lifetime commitment to collaborative work for the betterment of Alabama and the nation. Important to developing a community of leaders is the opportunity for in-depth exposure to areas around the state, intellectual discussion regarding civic issues, and identification of strategic actions.  Student fellows travel to rural and urban areas in Alabama so they can become familiar with current issues facing the state.

 

January 2010