In August 2005, Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast of the United States, making landfall first on the coast of Florida and then on southeast Louisiana.  Though food, shelter and money for relief efforts and supplies were immediate needs, the resulting emotional impact was a major concern.

 

A Shrine clown, Jeremy Cohen, who worked at CNN headquarters, had watched intently and was concerned about the impact on the children.  He thought that the talents of the clown community could be harnessed to relieve not only the stress and suffering following this disaster, but other future disasters, too.

 

A few days after Katrina's landfall, Jeremy set out to contact the major clowning organizations across North America, suggesting clowns could have a positive impact on response and recovery operations by offering compassionate humor to responders, relief workers, and disaster victims, in particular children and their families.  He was quickly joined in his efforts by nationally recognized clowns Keith Stokes, Paul Kleinberger, Bob Gretton, Teresa Gretton and Barbara Bird.  Soon, many more clown organization leaders had united to develop a mechanism for the clown community to respond in meaningful and appropriate ways to both local and major North American natural disasters and catastrophes – Red Nose Response.

 

Red Nose Response was incorporated as a 501(c)(3). Since its formation in 2005, volunteer enrollment has grown from the original six organizers to over 1100.  While our efforts are focused in North America, clowns around the world have joined the network of Red Nose Responders.