Shaw and Make It Right
In 2005, Hurricane Katrina brought vast devastation to New Orleans – flooding
nearly 80 percent of the city and destroying tens of thousands of homes – including thousands
in the Lower 9th Ward. Propelled by a desire to give the community a chance to rebuild and to
create a better future for impacted families, the Make It Right Foundation was born.
Started by actor Brad Pritt, Make It Right allows families a chance to re-stabilize their lives
through home-ownership and rebuild a sense of community that was taken away by the storm.
The organization’s efforts now extend beyond New Orleans to include impoverished or disaster-stricken communities throughout the U.S.
More than just rebuilding, the Foundation also has a commitment to green building. Shaw was
one of the first partners to join this commitment to help build safe, Cradle to Cradle inspired homes, buildings and communities for people in need.
Shaw signed on to support the Foundation’s very first project and committed flooring for the
150 homes in the New Orleans’ Lower 9th Ward rebuilding endeavor following Hurricane
Katrina. Now housing more than 350 people, 100 of the homes have been built, and all
completed homes have earned LEED Platinum certification.
Shaw’s commitment to community and sustainability in the built environment converge in a
meaningful way through this partnership that has continued as Make it Right expanded its projects beyond New Orleans to include among others, our latest partnership in Kansas City, Mo.
In 2013, the Make it Right Foundation completed the renovation of the Bancroft School
Apartments in Kansas City’s Manheim Park neighborhood. With Shaw’s support, Make it Right
turned an abandoned school building into 50 affordable housing units. Shaw donated flooring,
including our Cradle to Cradle Certified carpet and Epic engineered hardwood among other
flooring types, to cover 50 homes and community service areas.
The converted school is now a LEED Platinum certified housing and community complex,
including affordable rental units for youth transitioning out of foster care, veterans and lowincome
families. The Bancroft School redevelopment also features a community center, which
includes an auditorium, gymnasium, locker rooms, technology lab, job training center, medical
clinic, grocery store, and other retail space, along with community gardens, a playground,
walking trail, and a police foot patrol office.
The facility serves as a true community-wide resource, with access available to all 30,000
residents of the neighborhood.
Shaw is proud of its role in helping Make it Right make this a healthier, safer community. Make
It Right’s efforts to create affordable, high-performance, well-designed homes is not only aligned
with our focus on Cradle to Cradle in manufacturing and flooring product design, but with our corporate vision to create a better future.