It took him almost a week to get through, then Hurricane Rita struck.

When the friends finally connected, Terry suggested Martin should come to Louisiana to set up a local choir. As an established amateur choral director in Perth, Western Australia, Martin had worked with a 1,000-voice choir for the Perth International Arts Festival. He suggested the potential in developing a choir of this magnitude to lift people's spirits and to help rebuilding the psychological and social fabric devastated by these two megastorms.

Terry and Martin encouraged several friends's in both Australia and in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, with the basic skills to dvelop the process. Martin suggested establishing Golden Heart Productions LLC to help administer the choir. Then a dedicated ground zero charity working closely with survivors, Volunteers of America, was approached and agreed to receive all net profits from the efforts of The Hurricane Choir project. Several passionate support counselors from the VoA also soon joined the choir in it's initial formation and many continue their association with the choir today.

The Hurricane Choir Project continued to grow and evolve at a quick pace from the tireless efforts of many people from Australia, the USA, and even from Canada. The project also includes a ground breaking, world first, research project into the effects of choral singing on the various elements of post-traumatic stress disorder. This collaboration between the University of Western Australia and Sentiens, a private health service provider in Western Australia, has created the online survey being accessed through The Hurricane Choir website. The research was aided by a highly respected Baton Rouge practicing psychologist, Dr. Nick Abraham. Nick also became an active singing member of the choir and penned the popular signature number, The Hurricane Choir Song, which encapsulates the deep warm spirit of the choir.

The Mental Health Association in Louisiana soon also joined the Hurricane Choir project in it’s first year, and took the choir under its wings. It recognized a clear link between Choir and the mental health of everyone who participates in it. The Hurricane Choir was a support project of The Mental Health Association in Louisiana, benefitting Golden Heart Productions by receiving insurance and falling under the MHAL's umbrella as a not for profit status, as well as access to it's important administrative and networking support.

In the closing stages of it's first year in operation, the Hurricane Choir, seeking a change of commercial style management, formed a not-for-profit organization, Sing for Humanity, made up mostly of Hurricane Choir members and concerned people, both American and Australian.