Washington, D.C. – Tomorrow, U.S. Senator Mark Dayton will join members of the Minnesota-based River of Hope Relief Project, to rebuild a neighborhood in New Orleans’ Ninth Ward. The group, comprised of 35 volunteers from across Minnesota, will reconstruct the New Salem Baptist Church and nearby homes. Once completed, the church will serve as a community resource center for victims of Hurricane Katrina.

“I am looking forward to returning to New Orleans to work with Minnesota volunteers from the River of Hope, and to see if the city’s recovery has progressed since my trip there in January,” said Dayton.

This will be the River of Hope’s third trip to New Orleans, since November of 2005, to assist with the Katrina relief effort. The group has rebuilt homes and businesses throughout the city, delivered essential supplies, including clothing, blankets, tools, and construction materials, and raised more than $30,000 for victims.

Said Dayton: “Today, I am meeting in Moorhead with mayors and emergency response officials from Northwestern Minnesota about ways to improve the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) response to natural disasters. I will apply the experiences of those in Minnesota, and in New Orleans, to the upcoming Senate legislation to improve FEMA.”

Dayton is a member of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, which oversees FEMA. The committee is currently working on legislation to address the problems that occurred in the federal response to Hurricane Katrina.

In 1997 and 2002, Northwestern Minnesota was ravaged by floods, resulting in widespread evacuation and extensive property damage. Many of the flood victims are still dealing with FEMA to receive recovery assistance.

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