Clowns Without Borders - USA

During the spring and summer of 2007, Clowns Without Borders organized 3 expeditions to areas affected by Hurricane Katrina, in and around New Orleans Louisiana. These expeditions were organized in response to the continuing lack of aid over the past 2 years for low-income families affected by the hurricane. In these communities, public schools are still unopened or overcrowded and understaffed, families are without permanent housing, people are demoralized.

It is the strangest of situations to say the least, sitting and eating in an upscale Mexican-American restaurant amongst the clatter of dishes and glasses and conversations. What creates the incongruities is that here in Baton Rouge, Louisiana there are also over three hundred shelters operating amongst an army of Red Cross staff and volunteers. Life appears close to normal, stores are open, people are shopping, however the streets are jam packed with traffic as this city of 200 000 has swelled by some estimates to close to 500 000.