Back Bay Mission

Update from the Rev. Shari Prestemon

June 1, 2007

Unbelievably it has been nearly two years since Hurricane Katrina swept through the Gulf Coast area. The signs of devastation caused by the worst natural disaster in the United States still spot the landscape and can be seen in the litter scattered about, slabs of concrete where homes once stood, streets without street signs, clothing wrapped around a high tree branch, villages of FEMA trailers throughout town, the presence of large construction equipment and earth movers, condemned buildings not yet torn down and so much more that reminds us all of another time. Yet there are also signs of progress, perseverance in the aftermath, and hope in the God that calls us to action and service in the name of the Christ.

Back Bay Mission sustained enormous damage to its campus when Hurricane Katrina struck on August 29, 2005. Although each of the seven building on the Mission campus were still standing when the winds died down and the waters receded, all of them had been flooded by five to eight feet of storm surge waters. Buildings that were on pylons shifted and their frames racked; a thick sludge covered everything and mold quickly grew. Within a short time it was determined that only one of the seven building could be salvaged.

The building that remained had served as a vital hub for Mission operations prior to the storm. Renovated and enlarged only one year previous, the building had housed all program and administrative staff, and had also served as the emergency assistance center for the thousands of clients the Mission served each year. Efforts to repair this essential building began in the Spring of 2006, while Back Bay Mission staff worked out of three mobile office trailers parked in the Mission's parking lot. In February 2007, work was complete, signaling an enormous step toward the agency's own recovery.

In April 2007, another important step was taken. A three-bedroom modular home that was built and partially donated by supporters in Wisconsin, was installed where another residence had once stood on campus. Immediately after occupancy was granted, the house was filled with long-term volunteers, persons who serve in vital ways for as long as nine months. Up until that point, a single RV had been the only housing the Mission could provide to them.

Now the Mission faces the final stage of its campus recovery. The Board of Directors has approved the construction of two new building, designed to replace vital capacities lost to the hurricane while also building with an eye toward expanded service and ministry in the future:

• Volunteer Housing Center: This 4500 square foot building will function as dormitory, living, and dining space for our beloved workcamp volunteers. Since Hurricane Katrina we have housed these week-long volunteers in two single-side mobile homes, but this is not a permanent solution nor do the mobile homes provide the capacity we desperately need. Even before Hurricane Katrina, the numbers of person from throughout the United Church of Christ who wanted to experience workcamping at Back Bay Mission far exceeded our capacity to accommodate them. Now we're building for the future. The new volunteer housing center will provide dormitory space for 48 persons, plus additional space in two efficiency apartments. It will feature an industrial kitchen, showers, laundry, and recreational space for workcampers, as well as office space for program staff.
• Micah Center: This 3750 square foot building will provide multi-purpose space for ministries essential to the Mission's commitment to justice and community empowerment. Its name points toward the Mission's vision statement based on the prophet Micah's mandate to 'do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly' with God. A 'fellowship hall' type building will allow for large community organizing meetings as well as a proposed drop-in center for persons experiencing homelessness. A catering kitchen will maximize use of the building. A smaller meeting room will allow for additional flexibility, while two staff office will further position the Mission for expansion and growth. In addition, if a UCC new church start occurs in the Biloxi area, this building may also be used for that purpose.

The estimated cost of building and furnishing the volunteer housing enter and the Micah Center is $2 million. This amount far exceeds insurance recoveries following the storm. Your gifts designated for campus reconstruction are vital to the future of Back Bay Mission and to the thousands we serve in the community and in the wider United Church of Christ. For further information, or to inquire about making a small or major gift toward the cost of rebuilding, contact Debbie Kleiboeker (Director of Development) at dkleib@datasync.com or telephone 228-432-0301. Thanks so much.

The Rev. Shari Prestemon
Executive Director
Back Bay Mission