Creating a Vibrant and Diverse Coastal Community Where All Can Thrive!

July 16, 2026

Rebuild the Bayou Season 5 Comes to a Close

This year, we celebrated beautiful homecomings for 39 more families who returned to their new, restored and repaired homes through BCF's housing recovery program.

“I love it!”

Joyce Coleman’s excitement was infectious as she walked into her new, two-bedroom home in Thibodaux for the first time April 8, surrounded by friends, family, and representatives of Bayou Community Foundation and Christian Aid Ministries during her home dedication.

“I don’t know if I will be able to sleep the first night. I’m so excited!” she exclaimed as she toured her hand-crafted, fully-furnished, move-in ready home built by construction volunteers this spring through BCF’s Rebuild the Bayou housing recovery program.  

Joyce’s mobile home along 40 Arpent Road was severely damaged during Hurricane Ida in 2021 and the damage was intensified by Hurricane Francine in 2024. Like hundreds of other under-resourced homeowners in our community, she was unable to rebuild on her own and had to rely on family and friends for temporary shelter the past four years.  Now, this energetic, hard-working 67-year-old has a safe and secure house to call home again on her property in Thibodaux, thanks to Rebuild the Bayou.

Joyce's inspiring homecoming is one of OVER 600 unique recovery stories shared over the past five years by storm-impacted residents throughout Lafourche, Terrebonne and Grand Isle who have been assisted by BCF’s five-year rebuilding effort fueled by volunteers and philanthropy. 

As our 5^th Rebuild the Bayou program season closed in June, BCF and volunteer building partner Christian Aid Ministries completed 39 more rebuilding projects in Terrebonne and Lafourche with over 11,000 volunteer hours contributed, and nearly $1 million invested with local businesses for building materials. Four new storm-fortified homes were built this spring, seven homes fully restored, 27 homes repaired and four other housing solutions provided to Terrebonne and Lafourche residents, all for one important purpose– to bring families home.  

“We are so grateful for the hundreds of compassionate, generous and skilled volunteers from Christian Aid Ministries and right here in Terrebonne and Lafourche who worked with us again this year to welcome 39 families back home. With their help and the tremendous generosity of our donors,

Rebuild the Bayou continues to rebuild not just houses, but lives and our community," says President & CEO Jennifer Armand. "What a blessing this program has been to all of us at Bayou Community Foundation, and to each and every neighbor we have been able to assist!”

Since 2021, OVER 600 housing recovery projects have been completed through the BCF program, including 58 new fortified homes built in Lafourche, Terrebonne and Grand Isle, and an innovative Nest & Nurture program that supplies furniture, appliances and household essentials to the new and restored houses truly homes.

We are incredibly grateful to our 2026 Rebuild the Bayou Funding Champions and all generous donors who make this innovative and impactful program possible:

Want to help us bring residents home with Rebuild the Bayou?

Visit www.BayouCF.org, email Jennifer@BayouCF.org, or call 985.219.0046.

Good Grows Here

www.BayouCF.org

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