New Waveland Cafe and Clinic

[7] The New Waveland Cafe served three free meals every day to thousands of residents and volunteers.

[8] Official reports stated that approximately 50 people died when Waveland was hit directly by the eyewall of Katrina and the 32-foot (9.8 m) storm surge.

[10] The cafe originated when friends from the Rainbow Family began to communicate with each other about a possible response to the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

Those who attend these gatherings have become skilled at making and serving food for extremely large groups of people for long periods of time and in very basic situations.

The volunteers who built the cafe were Bastrop, TX church members and later operated by attendees of Rainbow Gatherings.

The local hospital, Hancock County Medical Center, was incapacitated due to the hurricane.

Two groups, the Bastrop Christian Outreach Center (BCOC) and attendees of the counter-culture Rainbow Gathering, arrived around the same time in Waveland.

[11] The BCOC efforts were led by Reverend Colonel Pete and Fay Jones who were among some of the first responders.

The cafe was housed in a large geodesic dome, usually found at the Burning Man festival.