Village Profile Home Page | About our Company | Sales Opportunities | Community eStore | vpmobile.us

Compassion Cottages

In late August of 2005, Hurricane Katrina devastated Pass Christian, Mississippi. Of 2,600 homes, only 400 were still standing and inhabitable after the storm. Three years later the city is only about one-third rebuilt. As media attention focuses elsewhere, 300 families still live in FEMA trailers, which are now considered dangerous to respiratory health.

One nonprofit group that has not forgotten the plight of these people is Compassion Cottages, a coalition of Barrington churches, service organizations and citizens who are dedicated to “restoring hope, one family at a time.” The idea originated with a group that built a winning float in the yearly Barrington parade. They wanted to do something successful that would not just entertain, but also truly help others. A number of these people visited Pass Christian and asked Mayor Chipper McDermott what was needed. He told them the story of Lee Brignone.

Lee and her husband, Julio, had begun to rebuild. They had completed the foundation and support piers when they both became ill from living in a FEMA trailer. After getting out of the hospital, Julio suffered a massive heart attack and died. The bank then withdrew an agreement for their construction loan.

Compassion Cottages initiated plans to restore the house. Money was supplied for materials, and with the help of other volunteer groups coordinated by a local Christian organization, the work was accomplished. A volunteer team then headed to Mississippi to do the finishing work: painting, hanging doors and cabinets, installing faucets, etc. The house was completed by the end of June 2008.

Currently, Compassion Cottages is fortunate to receive the aid of a number of local partnering organizations, including:

• Barrington Area Development Council
• Barrington Rotary Club
• Barrington United Methodist Church
• The Chapel
• Community Church of Barrington
• Lutheran Church of the Atonement
• Presbyterian Church of Barrington
• St. Anne’s Catholic Church
• St. Michael’s Episcopal Church
• St. Paul United Church of Christ
• Village Church of Barrington
• Willow Creek Barrington Community

The ideal is to provide services, not just in building houses, but also by staying involved through mentoring kids and families during the following years to help establish truly successful communities.

Anyone interested in donating support or skilled and semi-skilled help can find more information at www.compassioncottages.org.