Dalton—On the 5th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, Shaw joined the Make It Right Foundation in New Orleans over the weekend. Established in December 2007, founder Brad Pitt created the organization to build 150 affordable, sustainable homes for residents of New Orleans’ Lower 9th Ward, those most affected by the hurricane.
As one of the earliest supporters of the Make It Right Foundation, Shaw’s contributions have played a vital role in the process of building affordable 
green homes for Lower 9th Ward residents, according to Steve Ragan, Make It Right director of development & government relations. “Shaw and Make It Right share a fundamental commitment to Cradle to Cradle design and to sustainable construction. Shaw’s fully recyclable, environmentally responsible flooring products are a natural fit for the Make It Right homes.”
The Aug. 28 anniversary commemorated the process of bringing families back to newly constructed homes. In keeping with the foundation’s Cradle to Cradle design philosophy, Shaw provided carpet featuring fully recyclable, Cradle to Cradle Silver certified Anso nylon fiber for the first 50 homes, and is committed to providing carpet for the remainder of the planned homes.
“We are proud to work with Make It Right to help make a difference in the lives of some of the many residents of New Orleans affected by Hurricane Katrina,” said David Wilkerson, director of sustainability and environmental affairs for Shaw’s residential division. “In addition to providing new, affordable homes for residents of the Lower 9th Ward, Make It Right also demonstrates the social, environmental and economic benefits of sustainable housing in a model that could potentially be replicated around the world.”
The celebration featured artists and music from the highly-acclaimed HBO series Treme at the House of Blues in New Orleans. Make It Right also hosted a community celebration event that same day.