Q&A with Kim Burnett, Surdna Foundation
Kim Burnett is director for community revitalization with the Surdna Foundation where she manages a national portfolio of $7.3 million. In addition to New Orleans, she oversees the Foundation’s work in eight other cities across the U.S.: New York, Boston, Baltimore, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Denver, the Twin Cities, and the Bay Area. A resident of New York City, Kim has been visiting New Orleans for the past eight years and every quarter since Katrina.
About the Surdna Foundation
The Surdna Foundation is a New York-based family foundation with assets of $900 million. It was founded in 1917 by John Andrus who made his fortune in manufacturing medicines. He served as mayor of Yonkers, N.Y. and as a U.S. Congressman. Today, fourth– fifth-generation family members serve on the board and distribute $30 million annually. In 2007, the Surdna Foundation made a multi-million dollar grant to the Community Revitalization Fund at The Greater New Orleans Foundation.
Q: What is the greatest change you have seen over the past three years?
A: In addition to our current level of giving of approximately $1 million a year to the City, the Surdna Foundation just committed another $1 million investment on the third anniversary of Katrina because we are encouraged by the increase in citizen engagement. We find it inspirational. Neighborhood meetings are attended by a wide variety of people, multi-racial and across all socio-economic classes. Residents are taking ownership of the recovery process themselves, not waiting for government to come in and solve their problems. The Broadmoor and Mary Queen of Vietnam neighborhoods are great examples.
Q: Why did Surdna make the decision to invest in housing?
A: Shelter is a basic need. You have to begin with the home which is the hub for everything. It starts with the home and from there you can connect to jobs, grocery stores, transit, schools, culture, etc. Over 180,000 homes were destroyed in Katrina, so it was a likely place to start.
Q: And your involvement with the Community Revitalization Fund at GNOF?
A: We are one of nine national foundations and six local foundations participating in this collaborative fund. This kind of effort works because the leverage is tremendous. Our annual investment in the Fund of $250,000 won’t buy a lot of housing on its own, but together, by pooling our resources, we can make a greater impact. In addition to leverage, the GNOF staff for the Fund provides us with on the ground leg work and grant oversight which provides tremendous value.
Q: Tell us about the group you just brought to New Orleans.
A: We brought almost 100 grantees from our nine target cities for a convening in New Orleans. We did a day of service in Broadmoor to help paint houses, took a bus tour of the various neighborhoods, discussed public housing in Dooky Chase’s restaurant after touring Lafitte and we learned a bit more about green building and coastal restoration projects.
Q: And what did the participants take away from their experience here?
A: That Katrina wasn’t just a natural disaster – it was also a disaster of national public policy. Cities all around the country face hurricanes of neglect whether it be affordable housing or public education. New Orleans was just a heightened example. We all took home the message “Be A New Orleanian wherever you are.” We can’t wait around for government to solve our problems – we have to help be part of the solution and change we want.
Q: What do you see in New Orleans’ future?
A: This is a pivotal time for New Orleans. It is time to leave the recovery message behind; now is a time for investment. It is not about need. You don’t want to build a case for need; rather, you want to build the case for investing. New Orleans can be a model for the rest of the country for what America’s cities can be.
Q: And as a New Orleans regular, where is your favorite place to eat?
A: Domilise’s – where you get the best poor-boy, half oyster and half shrimp!
