PEARLINGTON, MS (September 2007)The Building Goodness Foundation, a local non-profit, broke ground for a community center in the Gulf Coast town of Pearlington, Mississippi.

In early October, work trips head to Pearlington to construct the 6000 sq. ft. community center. The new comunity center will help restore a sense of normalcy to a town still reeling from the effects of Hurricane Katrina. BGF continues to raise funds for the project and looks for skilled volunteers to join the effort.

VMDO, a Charlottesville architecture firm, designed the building that will provide space for municipal offices, town gatherings and special events. The community center has received funding from the Gulf Coast Community Foundation, the Weston (MA) Hurricane Katrina Committee, and private donations.

In the days following the hurricane, the Building Goodness Foundation sent work teams to construct shelters for Pearlington residents. To date, over 140 shelters have provided much needed storage and living space. Meeting an ongoing need, BGF is committed to being part of the global relief effort in the region.

BGF is an organization powered by skilled volunteers from the construction trades and our community. The volunteers build clinics, schools, shelters and other structures for communities in need. For more information, call 434.973.0993, visit www.BuildingGoodness.org [1] or email MRonayne@BuildingGoodness.org [2].