Twenty years ago, on August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast and changed the lives of millions. It was a tragedy of unimaginable loss—but it was also a moment that called for action, compassion, and long-term commitment.

At Operation HOPE, we answered that call.

Project Restore HOPE: Economic Triage in a Time of Crisis

Just weeks after the storm, Operation HOPE launched Project Restore HOPE, an initiative focused on emergency economic disaster response. Our goal was not only to meet immediate needs but to deliver financial triage and empowerment to survivors who had lost everything.

Working alongside H&R Block, First American Corporation, E*TRADE Financial, and the Clinton Foundation, we mobilized resources, volunteers, and partners to meet the scale of the disaster. Through our efforts, we:

• Delivered more than $12 million in tax refunds to survivors.

• Returned over $8 million in Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) benefits in just four months.

• Provided over $400,000 in direct grants to underinsured or uninsured victims.

• Assisted more than 16,000 families in the first year alone.

A Decade of Service: HOPE Coalition America

By the 10th anniversary in 2015, HOPE Coalition America (HCA)—Operation HOPE’s disaster preparedness and recovery division—had served more than 250,000 survivors of Hurricane Katrina.

Thanks to the leadership of former HOPE staffer Fred D. Smith, Lance Triggs, Jena Roscoe, and numerous others at HOPE, HCA provided emergency financial counseling, disaster case management, and access to resources on a scale that rivaled or even exceeded that of federal agencies.

As Chairman John Hope Bryant reflected at the time:

“One person, with a lot of help from his friends, can indeed change the world. Be that one person.”

Partnerships That Made a Difference

Our Katrina response would not have been possible without the leadership and generosity of our partners:

• President Bill Clinton and the Clinton Foundation, including the Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund.
• H&R Block, led by CEO Mark Ernst, which donated more than $500,000 in tax prep services.
• First American Corporation, which made possible our call center in Poway, CA.
• E*TRADE Financial, which provided $500,000 in grant commitments for survivors.
• DHS/FEMA and the American Red Cross, who stood beside us on the ground.

Together, we demonstrated what Chairman Bryant has long called the Silver Rights Movement—economic empowerment as the civil rights issue of our time.

Twenty Years Later: A Legacy of HOPE

Today, on the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, we pay tribute to the resilience of survivors and the compassion of those who stood in their support.

We also recommit ourselves to the work ahead. Disasters—natural, financial, and personal—are still with us. But so is HOPE.

As we look back on two decades of service, we are reminded: one person can make a difference. Be that one person. Consider partnering with Operation HOPE today.