Historic Hurricane Katrina photo gallery

NEW YORK, NEW YORK, USA (2005) Habitat for Humanity’s response to Katrina began when the Rockefeller Plaza in New York City became “Humanity Plaza,” as NBC’s Today show and Warner Music Group joined forces with Habitat to build house frames around the clock for five straight days that were then transported to the Gulf Coast.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK, USA (2005) Habitat for Humanity’s response to Katrina began when the Rockefeller Plaza in New York City became “Humanity Plaza,” as NBC’s Today show and Warner Music Group joined forces with Habitat to build house frames around the clock for five straight days that were then transported to the Gulf Coast. 

Every year since 2007, lumber from the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree has been donated to Habitat for Humanity for use in the construction of Habitat homes. In 2008, lumber from the 84-foot tall Norway Spruce Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree was used in Habitat houses in the Gulf Coast as well as in New York, India and Brazil.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK, USA (01/09/2008)  Every year since 2007, lumber from the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree is donated to Habitat to use for building.

2005, Washington, DC: What started in the Rockefeller Center, soon spread across the U.S and Canada with volunteers building house frames that were then shipped for use in Gulf recovery efforts. Habitat for Humanity's Operation Home Delivery program brought to together members of congress, Habitat affiliates, Freddie Mac staff and volunteers from across the country to build containerized houses on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. In eight days, volunteers built 51 house frames - one for each state and

WASHINGTON D.C., USA (11/2005) We brought together our affiliates, members of congress, Freddie Mac staff and volunteers from across the country to build containerized houses on the National Mall.

A rig filled with Habitat house frames leaves the National Mall build site for the Gulf Coast. 

WASHINGTON D.C., USA (2005) A rig filled with Habitat house frames leaves the National Mall build site for the Gulf Coast. 

A shipping container, loaded with Habitat for Humanity houses built for Operation Home Delivery, is hoisted onto a barge along the riverfront in St. Louis, Sunday, November 6, 2005. The houses were built during a 40-hour event by volunteers with the St. Louis Habitat affiliate and will be shipped to the Gulf Coast region.(Brian Myrick)

ST. LOUIS, MO (11/06/2005) A shipping container, loaded with Habitat houses built for Operation Home Delivery, is hoisted onto a barge along the riverfront in St. Louis, Sunday, November 6, 2005. The houses were built during a 40-hour event by volunteers with the St. Louis Habitat affiliate and will be shipped to the Gulf Coast region. Photo by: Brian Myrick

On May 21, 2007, the Carters joined Habitat CEO Jonathan Reckford and other volunteers to help raise the walls of houses No. 1,000 and No. 1,001 Habitat house built in St. Bernard Parish on the Gulf Coast since Hurricane Katrina.

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA, USA (05/21/07) The Carters joined Habitat CEO Jonathan Reckford and other volunteers to help raise the walls of houses No. 1,000 and No. 1,001 Habitat house built in St. Bernard Parish on the Gulf Coast since Hurricane Katrina.  

At a press conference following the wall raisings, President Carter announced the Gulf Coast as the location of the 25th annual Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project to mark Habitat’s continued response to Katrina. During the 200

ST. BERNARD PARISH, LOUISIANNA. (MAY 2007) President Carter announced the Gulf Coast as the location of the 25th annual Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project to mark Habitat’s continued response to Katrina.  During the 2008 CWP, the Carters joined thousands of volunteers at build sites from Biloxi, Mississippi, to New Orleans. In total, more than 250 houses were built or rehabilitated by the end of 2008 as part of CWP.

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA, USA (5/19/15) - In 2015, the AmeriCorps Build-a-Thon commemorated the 10th anniversary of Katrina and celebrated the 20-year partnership between Habitat and AmeriCorps, a partnership that was key to rebuilding the U.S. Gulf region hit first by Katrina, then Hurricane Rita a month later.

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA, USA (5/19/15) In 2015, the AmeriCorps Build-a-Thon commemorated the 10th anniversary of Katrina and celebrated the 20-year partnership between Habitat and AmeriCorps, a partnership that was key to rebuilding the U.S. Gulf region hit first by Katrina, then Hurricane Rita a month later.

Row of rear exteriors of complete and near complete Habitat houses in Musician's Village with fence poles in the foreground.

NEW ORLEANS, LA (2007) View of rear extenders at Habitat houses in Musicians’ Village.

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA, USA (07/09/2025) — Michael Harris outside his home in the Musicians Village in the Upper Ninth Ward, which was built after Hurricane Katrina nearly 20 years ago.

NEW ORLEANS, LA (2025) Michael, a local musician and Habitat homeowner, stands in front of his home in Musicians’ village. 

“I can’t say thank you enough to all the people involved. It keeps you humble and restores your faith in humankind.” 
- Michael, Musicians’ Village Habitat Homeowner