LOCAL SPOTLIGHT: Cassidy Highlights Story of Faith and Unity Ahead of Hurricane Katrina’s 21st Anniversary

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WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), for his monthly Local Spotlight, commemorated the twenty-first anniversary of Hurricane Katrina by highlighting a story of two New Orleans churches that came together to serve one another in the aftermath of the storm. The lasting partnership between Franklin Avenue Baptist Church and First Baptist New Orleans illustrates the deep sense of community that binds Louisianans together.

Read his full August 2026 Local Spotlight below:

This month's local spotlight commemorates the 21^st anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, which forever changed our state.

We know of the destroyed homes, families displaced, how it tested our communities in ways we could not otherwise imagine, had we not lived through it.

But in the midst of all that loss and destruction, something remarkable occurred.

People showed up for one another.

Neighbors became families.

Churches became places of refuge, which they always were, but even more so now.

And Louisianans from every background put aside differences to help a complete stranger who is now their neighbor.

One story from that time captures the true spirit of our state.

When Hurricane Katrina flooded the majority of the city of New Orleans, and by the way, that included Franklin Avenue Baptist Church, 10 feet of flood water.

So, when Franklin Avenue lost its place of worship, just a few miles away was First Avenue Baptist Church, which was spared from the floodwaters.

How?

So, years earlier when building a new campus, church leaders went near an old train yard, and they started driving down to build their property, and they ran into something hard.

They assumed it was a buried boxcar.

They could either excavate the whole property, and pull out the boxcar, which could have cost a lot of money, or they could put more dirt on top and build a higher foundation.

They took the least expensive option and it turned out to be the best option.

When Katrina floodwaters rose, because they had built up, those floodwaters rose to the church's steps, but it never entered the building.

Whoever buried that boxcar triggered a series of events in which the Baptist church here could host the Baptist church there.

Now, Franklin Avenue, Pastor Fred Luter, he was determined to reunite his congregation.

So, he calls First Baptist New Orleans Pastor David Crosby to ask if his church would share a facility with Franklin Avenue.

And Pastor Crosby said yes, immediately.

Beginning the very next Sunday, Franklin Avenue held services at 7:30 every morning, and First Baptist was at 9:30.

And the act of generosity, of hospitality, has grown to a long-lasting bond between the two churches, that friendship now two decades old.

They continue to worship together, serve communities together, and gather annually for prayer services and exchange pulpits as a reminder that although they may be different backgrounds, there is a unity of faith.

Today, church leaders see that partnership as more than a response to a natural disaster.

They see it as a lasting testament to faith, unity, and the power of serving one another.

First Baptist has long used the story of elevating their church building, ultimately saving it from taking on Katrina floodwaters, as a reminder of another kind of foundation.

That building a life rooted in faith, provides the strength to withstand life's greatest storms.

So, 21 years after Hurricane Katrina, the story of First Baptist and Franklin Avenue Baptist reminds us that Louisiana's greatest strength is not simply perseverance, but the way we come together to lift one another up.

Background

In July, Cassidy highlighted LSU student William Grand who founded the Giving Greek organization, turning one simple observation into a community effort that has donated more than 10,000 meals to a local Baton Rouge homeless shelter. His leadership and commitment to serving others demonstrate how one person can make a meaningful difference in their community.

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