I am not sure just how much money was raised during the Pink Project, but it was in the millions. Moreover, the Adopt a House Project is ongoing, and some $25,000,000 had been raised as of early October, 2008. If you want to donate, click here: There is no minimum amount. Even one buck will be gratefully accepted.
Make It Right 9
After the terrific success of the Pink Project, which caught the eye of the world, Brad's Make It Right team was ready for the final phase of the project, building 150 environmentally friendly, safe and affordable homes in the Ward, with the project to be called "Make It Right 9", the number 9 emphasizing that this was indeed a commitment to restore Lower Ninth first and foremost in New Orleans. To this end Brad and MIR enlisted the services of fourteen outstanding local, national and international architecture firms known for their cutting edge, ecological designs. They are:
Local:
Billes Architects – New Orleans, LA
Eskew Dumez Ripple – New Orleans, LA
Concordia – New Orleans, LA
Trahan Architects – Baton Rouge, LA
John Williams Architects – New Orleans, LA
National:
BNIM – Houston, TX
Kieran Timberlake - Philadelphia, PA
Morphosis – Santa Monica, CA
Pugh + Scarpa – Santa Monica, CA
International:
Adjaye Architects – London, England
Constructs – Accra, Ghana
Graft – Berlin, Germany
MVRDV – Rotterdam, Holland
Shigeru Ban Architects – Tokyo, Japan
(source)
The houses are all to be raised considerably off the ground, since chances are that there would be more flooding in the Lower Ninth in the future. Solar panels and other alternative energy technologies are to be incorporated, and the new architectural "Cradle to Cradle" paradigm is being embraced. This means that all technological materials and components employed in construction can be disassembled and reused instead of tossed, while all building construction materials have to be biologically safe for the soil and free of hazardous toxins.
I might add, too, that throughout this project, MIR has worked closely with the various community organizations in the Lower Ninth Ward, who have formed themselves into The Lower Ninth Ward Stakeholders Coalition. MIR has signed a memorandum of understanding with them, pledging "to work toward building sustainable and affordable homes for pre-Katrina residents seeking to return to the neighborhood." The Coalition includes leaders from the following Lower 9th Ward organizations:
All Congregations Together (A.C.T)
Lower 9th Ward Health Clinic
Lower 9th Ward Neighborhood Council, Inc.Lower 9th Ward Neighborhood Empowerment Network Association (NENA)
Lower Ninth Ward Center for Sustainable Engagement and Development (CSED)
Lower Ninth Ward Homeowners Association (source)
Finally, it must be emphasized, Lower Ninth Ward residents would be able to apply to buy these houses at affordable rates, with plenty of assistance every step of the way, from 1st orientation and application assistance, followed by detailed counseling about the project, even home design selection, to financial counseling and support, pre-construction workshops and updates on construction progress, to support networks even after the family has moved in, plus training on how to use energy saving features of their house.
By March of this year, Brad Pitt and MIR were ready to roll, and on March 16, 2008, the initial ground-breaking ceremony took place in the Ward to the sounds of a brass band and with the notable assistance of none other than ex-president Bill Clinton:
