Already the scenes of looters exploiting the chaos in the early aftermath of the storm have been replaced with stories of charitable contributions from other parts of the country, of children being accepted into schools outside the city, and of families being helped by strangers. On the anniversary of the September 11 attacks, a unit of the New York City Police Department was helping out in New Orleans, and the city returned a fire engine that New Orleans had earlier donated as a symbol of solidarity.
但布什会躲过此劫。新奥尔良的洪水终会退去，重建工作即将开始。飓风刚刚过后抢劫者趁乱掠夺的镜头已经被美国其它州慈善捐助、受灾儿童被城外学校接收和受灾家庭得到陌生人救助的消息所取代。在九一一袭击的周年纪念日，纽约警察署派出所属部队到新奥尔良帮助赈灾，纽约城还归还了新奥尔良以前捐献的一辆消防车，并把它作为团结的象征。