BP's $100 million rig worker fund expands

BP's $100 million rig worker fund expands to other oil spill recovery efforts

By David Hammer, The Times-Picayune


Rig workers and other offshore laborers affected by last year's Gulf oil spill and drilling moratorium claimed less than a quarter of BP's $100 million grant fund, so a Louisiana foundation began the task Wednesday of distributing the money to other Gulf recovery projects. With $75 million left over, the Baton Rouge Area Foundation announced four new grants totaling $18 million from its Future of the Gulf Fund:
--$15 million for Catholic Charities Archdiocese of New Orleans to continue its Spirit of Hope Collaborative, a group of 16 nonprofits providing mental-health and career counseling in fishing communities since the spill. The effort had received money directly from BP last year and has been a key voice in helping fishers with their oil spill damage claims, but it was running out of money before Wednesday's award.

--$2 million for the Audubon Nature Institute to establish a permanent triage and holding center for injured coastal wildlife, such as dolphins and sea turtles. Environmentalists recovered injured dolphins in the Gulf just this week, presumably due to reported oil slicks.

--$594,000 to Single Stop USA to provide training and support services at Delgado Community College for helping spill-affected workers get retrained for new careers.

--$410,000 for Louisiana Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster, a group of nonprofits that respond to disasters, to set up a regional conference with counterparts from Alabama and Mississippi. The conference will be held in Jackson, Miss., in November.


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