‘We need each other’: how a Black church and a white church joined forces after Hurricane Katrina

After New Orleans was ravaged 20 years ago, two places of worship teamed up to offer a space for devastated residents

Before the floods from Hurricane Katrina ravaged the city of New Orleans 20 years ago, Franklin Avenue Baptist church was booming.

We had three morning services. We had a gymnasium, overflow rooms. Next door was the family center. There was an exercise room and library," said the Rev Fred Luter Jr, pastor of Franklin Avenue. We had just bought 90 acres of property. We were the talk of the town."