Two years have passed since Hurricane Katrina made landfall along the Gulf Coast, devastating the region. Since then, WMF has worked alongside area residents through our Gulf Coast Initiative, aimed at restoring historic buildings that contribute to the region's eclectic style. With the help of several local and national partners, WMF has provided assistance in assessing damage, participated in the reconstruction planning process, and helped property owners to secure funds for preservation.

Throughout the summer and fall of last year, WMF collaborated with local partners on demonstration projects providing assistance to local residents in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, and the Holy Cross neighborhood of New Orleans. Although there is a long way to go before the region's infrastructure is repaired, residents have shown remarkable resilience as they work to rebuild their homes and communities. A new grant to the World Monuments Fund from American Express will allow the Holy Cross Neighborhood Association to continue its community revitalization work by directing funds toward the restoration of abandoned homes in the area. After renovation, revenue from the sale of these homes will help to fund the restoration of others, bringing new life and new residents back to the once-vibrant historic district.

For the second time, WMF placed New Orleans and the Gulf Coast on the 2008 World Monuments Watch List of 100 Most Endangered Sites, just as it did in 2006, when the region was added as the 101st site. We hope that the Watch listing will draw attention to the dangers these historic neighborhoods continue to face and to the efforts of those working to save these monuments of American culture.