From Incident to Recovery: How SBP Training Is Strengthening Little Rock’s Resilience
June 2, 2026On the afternoon of March 31, 2023, an EF3 tornado carved a 34-mile path through Little Rock, Arkansas, damaging thousands of structures in a matter of minutes. Madeline LeFèvre, a grants analyst for the city, was at a Whole Foods on the west side of town when it touched down. Staff put customers in the …
SBP Announces Key Leadership Appointment: Leigh Thorpe Joins as Chief of Advancement
May 18, 2026In May 2026, Leigh Thorpe joined the leadership team of SBP as its inaugural Chief Advancement Officer. SBP is a national nonprofit helping communities reduce the time between disaster and recovery by rebuilding homes and strengthening long-term resilience. In this role, she oversees the organization’s development, communications, marketing, and volunteer engagement divisions. Thorpe previously served …
The Blue House: One Family’s Road from Disaster to Recovery
April 30, 2026The blue house stands out. It’s the first thing you notice pulling up to Alanda Walker’s place in Tampa — a vibrant blue, the color of a cloudless Florida sky. When SBP asked Alanda to pick a paint color for the exterior of her newly repaired home, she didn’t hesitate. As a little girl, she’d …
BRIC is Back. Here’s What It Means for Your Community—and What to Do Next
April 9, 2026After more than a year of uncertainty, the federal government has officially reopened one of the most critical funding streams for community resilience. On March 25, 2026, FEMA announced the return of the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program—making $1 billion in funding available for infrastructure and hazard mitigation projects across the country. For …
Before the Next Storm: How SBP Strengthened Mobile, Alabama’s Readiness and Resilience
April 9, 2026For Mobile, Alabama, the absence of a major storm in recent years felt like a relief—and an opportunity. Hurricanes Sally and Zeta struck in 2020, leaving behind damage, disruption, and lessons the city couldn’t afford to forget. Both hurricanes tested Mobile’s response capabilities, but also showed areas where coordination and capacity could be improved. Despite …
SBP and Farmers Insurance® Continue Longstanding Partnership to Strengthen Disaster Resilience Through Service
April 6, 2026$1 million grant will support service, volunteer engagement and long-term recovery services in disaster-impacted communities NEW ORLEANS — SBP has received a $1 million grant from Farmers® Insurance to support its service to disaster-impacted communities, continuing a partnership rooted in long-term recovery and resilience that began in 2011 following the historic Joplin tornado. The grant …