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In some communities struck by Hurricane Katrina, only one in five families has a new home after its old one was destroyed in August 2005. That’s pitiful progress for a year and a half.

President Bush missed the memo and failed to mention recovery regarding the hurricane-ravaged southern states during last week’s State of the Union Address.

Does anybody else find it worrisome that even the man who signed over billions of dollars of aid isn’t following up on the progress enough to add a blurb about it in seven pages of rhetoric?

In fact, in some areas where Katrina hit, non-governmental organizations have accounted for 80 percent of the rebuilding progress in financing and labor, according to The Washington Post.

Apparently the federal government can’t handle the 20 percent of Katrina rebuilding defaulted to it. The $3.2 billion of federal money delegated to Mississippi has been wrapped up in red tape at the state level, leaving non-governmental organizations to restore some sense of order.

Instead of aiding the American people in recovery, Bush decided to send 21,500 troops to Iraq. Instead of giving his people homes, he has sent their sons and daughters to war.

OK, so the government did pledge some funds. Twenty-billion dollars short of the approximately $81 billion needed. And, yes, it did disburse it. But the money hasn’t reached nearly as many families as it should.

Why isn’t the federal government acting? It’s ridiculous that the Bush administration seems to have forgotten about these lost federal funds. It should be pressuring the state and local governments to speed up the recovery in the seven states where Katrina hit.

Even UCLA has been part of the recovery. Last spring break, UCLA Campus Crusade for Christ took a team of almost 80 students, Christians and non-Christians, to New Orleans to assist in cleaning up the city seven months after the disaster, and plans to take a team this year too.

Camden Crane, a third-year psychology student and Campus Crusade member, went to New Orleans. “The hurricane hit people in our backyard,” Crane said. “And this was a unique opportunity to instill love and hope in the people around me. Volunteers are the lifeline for many of the people in New Orleans. One woman told me that the students gutting her house were bringing her motivation, hope and faith.”

Another student believes the people need more than just a home.

“I think the people of New Orleans are looking for hope and love,” said Chris Wessel, a fourth-year civil engineering student who also went on the Campus Crusade relief project. “For us, it’s a minimal amount of work and we don’t lose anything to help those who lost everything.”

Instead of counting down the days till Bush says bye-bye to the White House (about 717 days in case you are wondering), the focus should be on the charity groups and people taking the initiative to repair the havoc wreaked on the U.S.

We should applaud the efforts of Habitat for Humanity, Campus Crusade for Christ and the thousands of volunteers who are doing something instead of watching Bush twiddle his thumbs.

In fact, the American people can offer the hurricane victims something the government seems to lack – compassion.

“The first house we gutted, we salvaged some mementos of the woman who lived there. When she came and saw the box, she broke down. She was sorrowful yet grateful that we had thought to save these things for her,” Wessel said. “It was awesome to help her.”

The government in no way should forget it is accountable for Katrina progress. However, the fact that the American people are taking a personal responsibility for the rebuilding shows a unity that no war or war protest could show.

Thinking about an alternative spring break? E-mail Bissell at abissell@media.ucla.edu. Send general comments to viewpoint@media.ucla.edu.