Rebuilding Together, United Way unveil Resiliency Center on 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina

Written By Alicia Vial

Collaborative initiative set to be permanent hub for disaster preparedness

NEW ORLEANS – Today, two of southeast Louisiana’s most trusted leaders in disaster recovery and community resilience joined together to unveil the United Way of Southeast Louisiana Resiliency Center, founded by Rebuilding Together. The ribbon-cutting ceremony marked a powerful moment of reflection and renewal on the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, celebrating a pivotal new chapter in how the region prepares for and responds to crises.

The center, located at 2831 St. Claude Ave. in the Marigny St. Roch neighborhood, is a new initiative by Rebuilding Together New Orleans (RTNO) and United Way of Southeast Louisiana (UWSELA) to create a permanent, storm-hardened RTNO headquarters and collaborative hub for nonprofits to strengthen New Orleans before, during and after disasters.

“This project is about shifting from recovery to readiness,” said William Stoudt, executive director of RTNO. “We can no longer use the term ‘resiliency’ to sidestep the broader, serious challenges facing our community. We are flipping the narrative. What if we didn’t have to be ‘resilient’ after every disaster because we were already equipped and prepared? By bringing trusted partners together under one roof, RTNO is proud to build a future where our community can thrive before and after disaster strikes.”

The shared hub – formerly known as Club Discovery - will serve as a shared space for trusted nonprofits, including anchor partner UWSELA, HandsOn New Orleans, Ride NOLA, New Orleans ToolBank and LA GreenCorps. Resiliency partners are focused on disaster preparedness, housing stability, volunteerism, financial capability and community revitalization. In addition to disaster preparedness programming, the center will serve as a critical operations base during emergencies, fortified by a storm-hardened design that ensures continuity of services when they are needed most.

“Hurricane Katrina changed everything from how we respond, to how we rebuild and how we prepare,” said Michael Williamson, UWSELA president and CEO. “In the aftermath, United Way and Rebuilding Together found ourselves walking parallel paths, each working to stabilize families and rebuild neighborhoods. Over the years, those paths have converged into a shared belief: resilience can’t be temporary, and it can’t be siloed. The Resiliency Center is a powerful next step, a permanent space built from lessons learned and a vision for how we move forward, together.”

The event welcomed community advocates, elected officials, team members and volunteers who gathered to reflect on two decades of progress since Hurricane Katrina and celebrate a new era in community empowerment as the number of disasters impacting the community continues to rise.

"As we mark the somber 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, we also celebrate the opening of the United Way of Southeast Louisiana Resiliency Center - founded by Rebuilding Together New Orleans. This center stands as a powerful symbol of how far we’ve come and how fiercely we’re committed to the future," said Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. “It’s not just a building—it’s a promise: that resilience in our city will no longer be reactive, but rooted, permanent and prepared. I secured the primary funding for the first solar-powered Community Lighthouse resilience hubs in New Orleans, so I know firsthand how transformational these projects can be. I’m proud to support this collaborative space that brings together so many trusted partners to ensure that when the next storm hits, we’re not starting from scratch. We’re starting from strength.”

Sen. Bill Cassidy added, “When hurricanes strike, people need help right away. This Resiliency Center will be enormously helpful in quickly getting food, clean water and other resources to people in need. Thank you, United Way and Rebuilding Together, for your forethought and commitment to New Orleans.”

Support for the Resiliency Center was made possible by UWSELA, Shell, First Horizon Bank, Hancock Whitney Bank and a variety of community partners. In addition, UWSELA will maintain a dedicated, branded command center within the building – United Way of Southeast Louisiana Community Hub supported by Verizon – offering year-round case management, recovery navigation and community support services.

UWSELA began large-scale preparedness workshops, seating up to 60 participants, in mid-August and will continue to post new offerings online at UnitedWaySELA.org/Calendar.

A day of service hosted by RTNO and Entergy accompanied the opening celebration.

For more information, visit Resiliency-Center.org, or follow RTNO (Facebook, Instagram) and UWSELA (Facebook, Instagram) on social media channels.

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About Rebuilding Together New Orleans

Rebuilding Together is a leading national nonprofit in safe and healthy housing that provides low-income neighbors with critical home repairs and revitalizes the communities in which we live. Rebuilding Together New Orleans (RTNO), a local affiliate, has restored and revitalized more than 2,200 homes over the past 37 years in the New Orleans area. Utilizing volunteer labor, Rebuilding Together New Orleans allows low-income families in communities across the city to live in comfort, safety and dignity.

About United Way of Southeast Louisiana  

For more than 100 years, United Way of Southeast Louisiana (UWSELA) has been a leader and trusted partner in improving lives and making a lasting difference. We fight to eradicate poverty by preparing people for quality jobs, growing incomes and affording better health and education opportunities throughout Jefferson, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa and Washington parishes. We have a bold vision of equitable communities where all individuals are healthy, educated, and financially stable – and we have a plan. United Way of Southeast Louisiana's Blueprint for Prosperity guides all strategic investments in programs, initiatives, collaborations, volunteerism, and advocacy aimed at tackling poverty. For more information, please visit UnitedWaySELA.org. Find us on social: @UnitedWaySELA.

Join United Way. GIVE. ADVOCATE. VOLUNTEER. CONNECT. 

Alicia Vial

Alicia Vial is a New Orleans native with more than a decade of experience elevating client stories and leading crisis response. As the senior director of strategy, Alicia acts as a leader within the Gambel Communications team ensuring each agency team member is positioned to deliver strategic public relations services that meet the highest standards of the industry. In addition to supporting the agency’s long-term business growth and development, she coordinates day-to-day account services and oversees strategic direction while staying abreast of best practices and industry trends to provide innovative solutions to meet client’s needs.

Before joining Gambel Communications, Alicia served as the communications director for the Louisiana SPCA, the oldest and largest animal welfare organization in Louisiana that impacts more than 74,000 animals per year. During her nearly eight-year tenure, Alicia oversaw numerous crises, served on national communication taskforces, oversaw all aspects of internal and external relations and worked alongside the development department to raise critical funding. Prior to that, she worked in the fast-paced New Orleans hospitality industry focusing on digital public relations for multiple hotels.

Alicia is a member of the Public Relations Association of Louisiana (PRAL), Southern Public Relations Federation (SPRF), a board member of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) New Orleans Chapter and a member of the New Orleans Regional Leadership Institute. An accredited public relations practitioner (APR), Alicia is also certified in crisis communications, organizational leadership, content marketing and social media.

A well respected and trusted public relations practitioner, Alicia has been recognized by SPRF as a ‘Senior Practitioner of the Year’. Dubbed early on in her career as one to watch, she also received the ‘Rising Star’ award by PRAL and was profiled in St. Charles Avenue Magazine as part of their Young Bloods series. Most recently, she was recognized at PRSA’s annual Fleurish Awards and received four Awards of Excellence for her work along with the ‘Plate Spinner’ award for her efforts on the board of directors for the chapter.

An LSU graduate, Alicia received a bachelor's degree in mass communications with a concentration in public relations and minors in business administration and leadership development. She is a frequent speaker and presenter on public relations topics, most recently presenting at the Jefferson Economic Development Commission and SPRF annual conference.

When Alicia is not at work, you can find her at the ballpark with her three boys or cheering on the Tigers in Death Valley.

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