Pictured from left to right: Kristian Whittington, Bernie Cullen, Claire Gray, Kathy Brooks, Stefanie Anderson, Lolie Kull, Donald Murphy
This week, Southwire’s Project GIFT® traveled to Waveland, Mississippi, to join the community in the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. During the visit, Southwire representatives presented a commemorative plaque to the Waveland Ground Zero Hurricane Museum, marking the birthplace of Project GIFT, Southwire’s community-based volunteer program dedicated to serving others through Giving Back. City officials recognized the town’s resilience with the theme, “celebrating rebirth.”
Project GIFT (Giving Inspiration for Tomorrow) was officially conceived in 2005 in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, which claimed nearly 1,400 lives and caused more than $320 billion in damages. That December, Southwire team members, alongside volunteers from the Waveland community, participated in “Christmas on the Coast,” providing gifts and essentials to more than 25,000 people across the Mississippi Gulf Coast whose lives had been upended.
What began as a small group of team members responding to a disaster quickly grew into one of Southwire’s most meaningful legacies.
Jason Pollard, who was one of the original nine Southwire team members who traveled to Waveland to help after the devastation from Hurricane Katrina, reflected on how Southwire has continued its connection to the people of Waveland over the past two decades. The return to Waveland is symbolic, he said.
“It’s important to never forget where you started. For us, it began in Waveland, serving thousands of people with nothing more than a truckload of supplies and a willingness to help,” said Pollard, Southwire’s vice president of Communications and Giving Back. “Twenty years later, Project GIFT is still grounded in that same spirit of trust, resilience and giving back.”
Today, Project GIFT includes more than 2,500 active volunteers who support communities through school supply giveaways, disaster relief, cleanups, holiday toy drives and countless other initiatives. Last year, Project GIFT volunteers served more than 25,000 hours in their local communities.
“Project GIFT was built on servanthood, and I hope no matter how big we get, servanthood will always be a part of who we are,” said Kristian Whittington, director of Giving Back. “There’s significance in going back to where it all began. At the heart of it all, we want to be a part of something bigger than ourselves.”
The 20th anniversary memorial in Waveland serves not only as a moment of reflection, but also as a testament to resilience, generosity and hope.
“Southwire’s commitment to Waveland and our community has gone beyond the hurricane,” said Bernadette Cullen, Museum Board Chair. “To see the team here 20 years later signals ow important our relationship has been. It shows what Project GIFT means to both Southwire’s communities and to south Mississippi.”
Southwire also presented a $5,000 donation along with a plaque to the museum. Southwire aims to preserve the story of Project GIFT’s beginnings and celebrate the community partnerships that continue to guide its mission.
For the latest news and Giving Back updates from Southwire, visit southwire.com/newsroom.
