It has been almost four years since Hurricane Katrina, and thanks to the dedication and hard work of residents and volunteers from all around the globe, downtown New Orleans is flourishing again.  Despite this progress, though, there are many residential neighborhoods outside the downtown area still in the process of rebuilding. This year SHRM offered its attendees the opportunity to work on a service project helping those in need, sponsored by CareerBuilder.

Roughly 75 SHRM attendees, including 20 CareerBuilder employees, teamed up with Beacon of Hope, a non-profit organization founded by Denise Thornton, whose entire Lakeview neighborhood flooded after the levee at the 17th Street Canal breached in the aftermath of Katrina.  Beacon of Hope’s mission is to coordinate and facilitate the infrastructural repairs needed to be done in order to make a neighborhood viable.

The work this organization and its volunteers are doing is truly making an impact in the local community and helping visitors like the SHRM group more fully understand the devastation the city endured after Katrina.

The group spent the morning working on various projects in the Gentilly neighborhood — ranging from planting trees and laying sod to painting. And while the residents of the neighborhood need physical help, even more, they need hope and the knowledge that the world has not forgotten about them. A special thanks goes out to all the people who donated their time to give back to the New Orleans community before the start of the SHRM conference.

Corporate philanthropy can be a great way to build team relationships outside of the office. It is also a way to enforce your company values and attract talented candidates interested in working for companies that don’t simply focus on the bottom-line results. Looking for ways for your company to give back? Check out fellow Hiring Site blogger Amy Chulik’s previous post on what you need to know before committing your company to corporate philanthropic initiatives.

For another perspective on the day’s events, check out Workforce Management writer Rick Bell’s story.