With many of its facilities in ruins, and its employees, customers, volunteers and donors scattered by Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans’ Audubon Nature Institute turned to the Web to raise the money needed to get back to its mission.

By Abny Santicola

After the storm hit, ANI’s parks became satellite operational centers for first responders. And though the zoo, aquarium and research center all are located on or adjacent to the Mississippi River on some of the city’s higher ground, the nature center was under water, as were many areas in New Orleans.