Shortly after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, I traveled there with other members of Congress. We flew in helicopters to survey entire neighborhoods submerged in dirty water. Those neighborhoods not underwater were abandoned. We toured the 9th Ward and saw the broken levees. Trash was everywhere. We visited hospitals jammed to over-capacity, and in chaos. We met with students at a local public school.
I knew then that we would have a lot of work to do to restore the community’s trust, respect and confidence in government. When I returned home to Los Angeles, I donated cleaning supplies and clothing to displaced hurricane victims. A small gesture, but I hoped to encourage others to do whatever they could to help, no matter what that was.
Fonte: White House