TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2009

Recovery Corps issues statement regarding national addresses by President Obama and Governor Jindal

BATON ROUGE, La. - Louisiana Family Recovery Corps President and CEO Dr. Monteic A. Sizer issued the following statement regarding President Barack Obama's address to the nation and Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal's response:

"I was disappointed that neither President Obama nor Governor Jindal spoke to the need for additional federal resources for continued recovery in Louisiana and the Gulf Coast as they spoke about the nation's economic recovery. Louisiana, its many industries, and its natural resources are vital to the economic success of America. President Obama has previously mentioned a commitment to rebuilding the Gulf Coast, but to ignore the plight of so many while addressing the nation is unfortunate. I hope that when HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano visit the region in the coming weeks they will realize the magnitude of the work that still must be done and will convey that to the President.

“While he did speak to the spirit of Louisiana and tell an anecdotal story referencing Hurricane Katrina, Governor Jindal is certainly aware that we, as a nation, cannot lose focus on rebuilding Louisiana. This grand stage would have been a great place for him to advocate for the needs of our citizens impacted by the hurricanes. The Louisiana Family Recovery Corps will continue to remind both Governor Jindal and President Obama of the needs of our people and will continue to fight to provide opportunities to those attempting to recover from unprecedented disaster."

ABOUT THE RECOVERY CORPS
The Louisiana Family Recovery Corps is a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation based in Baton Rouge, La., and formed in the wake of hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005. The Recovery Corps’ mission is to facilitate human recovery for the State of Louisiana in the aftermath of disaster, both natural and man-made. The Recovery Corps has partnered with human service and non-profit organizations throughout the state and the country to deliver assistance as effectively and efficiently as possible, allocating more than $80 million to recovery efforts and assisting more than 30,000 households since January 2006.