August 29, 2005, is a date I will never forget. Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast with unimaginable force, leaving behind destruction, heartbreak, and indifference. It was one of the greatest tragedies of our time, and it exposed deep wounds in our nation.

But it also called for action.

Within days, Operation HOPE stepped in. Together with friends and partners, we launched Project Restore HOPE: New Orleans to bring not only emergency aid but what I called economic triage — helping families stabilize financially when they had lost everything.

Project Restore HOPE

In that first year, thanks to the extraordinary leadership of Lance Triggs and Fred D. Smith, and with the support of hundreds of volunteers and partners, we were able to: • Deliver more than $12 million in tax refunds

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