As we are all on pause, Louisianas wetlands continue to vanish. Every hour, an area the size of a football field disappears into the Gulf of Mexico. Every year, an average of 10,000 acres of land transforms into open water. Wetlands and barrier islands are New Orleans first line of defense against storm surge and hurricane winds.

Acting as a sponge during hurricanes, these important habitats slow down storm surge and physically impede the powerful force of wind and water by up to 40 percent. But as they disappear, so does this natural protection.

The 2020 Atlantic hurricane season coincided with a global pandemic, which has had the greatest impact on the most vulnerable people in our communities. Black, indigenous, and people of color, as well as women and people with disabilities, are most susceptible to detrimental impacts of environmental catastrophes, which limit access to adequate health care, food, and housing.

As we have seen in the past, the government is not stepping in to help these communities. So, we must fight to restore Louisianas coastal wetlands. We also fight to disrupt the impacts of centuries of systemic racism that continue to burden so many people living in New Orleans and Southeast Louisiana.

Common Ground Relief is a volunteer-based organization, and we rely on volunteers to realize our mission. Our volunteer programs also provide us with the revenue needed to support our operations. When the world went into quarantine in March 2020, our volunteer program was put into hiatus.

Yet, we have continued to operate throughout 2020. With a small, nimble and just a few local volunteers, we planted over 4,500 trees and restored over 20 miles of coastline through the grass plantings. In addition, we opened a food pantry in response to COVID-related increases in food insecurity.

As we head into 2021, our financial resources are limited. However, there is still so much to be done. To continue our work building a sustainable community resilient to the challenges of climate change and environmental racism, we need your support.

To sustain Common Ground Relief through 2021, we have set a fundraising goal of $50,000, kicking off on Giving Tuesday.

In this unprecedented moment, we need your help more than ever!

Learn more: www.commongroundrelief.org/help-today