Study: More than half of East Baton Rouge residents aided evacuees

[mcscajun]

During the first frantic weeks after Hurricane Katrina, it seemed just about everyone in Baton Rouge had evacuees staying in their homes.

Now a group of LSU sociology professors has put a number to it: 50 percent of East Baton Rouge Parish households have offered sanctuary to friends, family or complete strangers since the storm.

The group also found that 60 percent of East Baton Rouge residents reported doing volunteer work after Katrina, which struck Aug. 29. Most said they volunteered more than once, and most did so with faith-based organizations.

(snip)

Weil said that while rumors of an increase in crime in Baton Rouge ran rampant in the early days after Katrina, fear of crime dropped quickly.

http://www.2theadvocate.com/stories/122405/new_study001.shtml

Lots more at the link. An encouraging story.