Wristbands, caps aid in rebuilding N.O.

Russell Kelly wants to do one thing: help rebuild New Orleans.
“I am going back to rebuild my city,” said Kelly, a New Orleans native and president and chief executive officer of Affordable Housing Contractors, L.L.C., in the city.
The Southern alumnus designed and trademarked t-shirts, caps, visors and wristbands with phrases such as “Restore Hope – Rebuild New Orleans – Katrina 8-29-05,” “New Orleans World Order Rebuild” and “Restore Families – Rebuild New Orleans,” to support his efforts.
Kelly evacuated from New Orleans to avoid Katrina’s landfall and went to Houston, along with his mother who had cancer.
Just like everyone else, he said, he thought he would be on a mini vacation for two days. Two days turned into months and Kelly said he could not believe the tragedy that was happening in his hometown.
Kelly said while he was in Houston, he had some monogramming done on some of his dress shirts and came up with the idea to design Katrina-related apparel.
Kelly used $10,000 of his own money for the merchandise, which was printed in Houston.
Kelly, a 1987 accounting graduate, said he gave the apparel away initially to see what responses he would get. He said the paraphernalia quickly gained popularity.
“When people read these t-shirts,” Kelly said. “I think they feel something.”
He said everyone from New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin to former New Orleans Mayor Marc Morial owns a shirt or cap and have worn them in the local and national media.
His rebuilding efforts did not stop at apparel.
Kelly also partnered with two colleagues and a contracting company specializing in disaster recovery tools to send 50 trucks to New Orleans to help remove debris from the city’s streets. This also means jobs for some people.
New Orleans native Kendrick Ebanks has been a friend and colleague of Kelly since 1998. He said Kelly’s efforts to revive New Orleans were one of a remarkable nature.
“Through the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, here’s a young entrepreneur,” Ebanks said. “Not only does Russell want to rebuild New Orleans, but he wants to rebuild the spirit of the people and rebuild the culture that we love so dearly.”
Kelly said he wanted to make sure he made this an opportunity to get people back into the city. He said he was saddened by the many jobs given to people outside of the city.
“We are going to hire New Orleanians and we are going to pay them more because it’s about sharing economic wealth,” Kelly said. “It gives me gratification to employ people, (especially) minority people and provide others with opportunities.”
Kelly said the disaster opened more doors for positive opportunities and gave him the strength to excel and succeed. He is a firm believer the city will bounce back and have a “clean slate.”
“Hurricane Katrina transfers as the storm of purification,” he said.
Kelly said he could have given up hope after the hurricane. In addition to the homes, cars and other material things he lost during the hurricane, Kelly’s mother succumbed to cancer on Oct. 2.
He is currently living in Baton Rouge, but said he commutes to New Orleans daily.
“It’s the flavor of New Orleans that I love,” he said.
Kelly’s recovery apparel is available at the Adobe Western Store, located in Baton Rouge’s Mall of Louisiana. He said Wal-Mart is currently considering selling the merchandise in their stores. Kelly said potential customers could call (504) 458-4604 or (225) 288-6920, for more information on his products.