he Gerdau Group and its employees worked together to help colleagues in the United States who were affected by hurricane Katrina.

Katrina reached category five, the highest level of the Saffir-Simpson Scale, causing the death of around a thousand people and damage totaling US$ 2 billion. Eighty-four Gerdau Ameristeel employees who live in the New Orleans region were struck by the hurricane, losing their homes, cars and other belongings.

In order to help the victims, the Gerdau Institute created the Gerdau Professionals Public Emergency Fund. With this initiative, employees from units in Brazil and the United States donated resources to be used in rebuilding their colleagues’ homes. The sense of community had a powerful effect: a total of US$ 632,800 was donated and distributed by a committee organized by the Company.