Center for Disaster Philanthropy Lauds Preparedness and Planning Efforts for Hurricane Isaac

WASHINGTON, Sept. 6, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- As communities affected by Hurricane Isaac begin to rebuild, the Center for Disaster Philanthropy (CDP) notes a marked increase in preparedness that saved countless lives and mitigated costs for recovery, a testament to the individuals and organizations that learned from Hurricane Katrina. 

Isaac, which made landfall in the Gulf Coast on August 28, 2012, took a path eerily similar to Katrina in August 2005. Then, however, response was chaotic—so much so that it formed the basis for CDP, an organization aimed at maximizing the impact of donor dollars given toward disaster.

"But what we saw with Isaac—which thankfully was not as severe as many had feared—is that the response was different from Hurricane Katrina," said CDP President and CEO Robert G. Ottenhoff. "We observed that donors and foundations were important partners in their communities in considering preparedness and long-term recovery needs in addition to immediate relief."

CDP chose the seventh anniversary week of Katrina to publicly launch, imagining a time of retrospection into how disaster relief had changed since 2005. Isaac, however, unexpectedly gave the new organization a chance to see it firsthand.

"What we saw was that community-wide evacuation plans were activated, community foundations launched funds to meet the needs of Isaac-affected individuals and communities, and other plans for recovery were put in motion well before the storm hit," said CDP Vice President Regine A. Webster. "But recovery from a disaster is a long process, and communities recover at different rates with different needs. Our job is to help ensure that these needs continue to be met in a way that both honors those affected and secures a stronger future."

Throughout the storm, CDP helped build a bridge of information between donors and Isaac-affected communities through its website, DisasterPhilanthropy.org, as well as its Twitter account, @funds4disaster. Philanthropic response and opportunities remain highlighted at the site.

Overall, the organization provides trustworthy, objective insights and strategies from seasoned disaster philanthropy specialists; mechanisms for pooling resources for maximum-impact disaster philanthropy; reliable updates and briefs on domestic and international disasters for journalists, philanthropists, and others seeking to use their resources to assist; and a clearinghouse of original donor-centric content on best practices in disaster management and issues related to disaster response.

CDP's board of directors includes Irene W. and C.B. Pennington President and CEO Lori J. Bertman; Arabella Advisors Managing Director Eric Kessler; Baton Rouge Area Foundation President and CEO John G. Davies; Association of Small Foundations CEO Henry L. Berman; and Philanthropy New York President Ronna Brown.  

The Center for Disaster Philanthropy is a nonprofit organization headquartered in Washington, DC.  For more information, please visit www.disasterphilanthropy.org.

CONTACT: Fiona Soltes, [email protected], +1-615-788-5378, @funds4disaster 

SOURCE Center for Disaster Philanthropy