Charity
Make It Right Foundation New Orleans Lower Ninth Ward
In December 2006, Brad Pitt convened a group of experts in New Orleans to brainstorm about building green affordable housing on a large scale to help victims of Hurricane Katrina. Having spent time with community leaders and displaced residents determined to return home, Pitt realized that an opportunity existed to build houses that were not only stronger and healthier, but that had less impact on the environment.
The Mission of Make It Right is clear: It is to be a catalyst for redevelopment of the Lower 9th Ward, by building a neighborhood comprised of safe and healthy homes that are inspired by Cradle to Cradle thinking, with an emphasis on a high quality of design, while preserving the spirit of the community's culture. The goal is to accomplish this quickly, so that the first residents can begin returning to their homes as soon as possible.
The Make it Right core team assembled by Pitt includes experts such as:
- William McDonough + Partners, a world leader in environmental architecture
- Cherokee Gives Back Foundation, the nonprofit arm of Cherokee, a firm that specializes in remediation and sustainable redevelopment of environmentally impaired properties
- Graft, an innovative architecture firm that Pitt has collaborated with on projects around the world
- Trevor Neilson and Nina Killeen, advisors to the Jolie-Pitt Foundation
This core team is working in tandem with leaders of a local, neighborhood led coalition of not-for-profits, and has expanded to include renowned local, national and international architecture firms, to ensure that the focus on -- and commitment to -- the Lower 9th Ward is demonstrably diverse and reflective of Brad Pitt's dedication to giving this critical neighborhood access to the best expertise available. In short, they are working to "Make It Right."
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