She first came to Biloxi in October 2006 as an independent volunteer interested in seeing how she could support the disaster response and relief efforts to Hurricane Katrina. She was shocked and overwhelmed to find the coast in such a state of devastation over a year after the hurricane, but felt encouraged by the spirit and dedication of the many volunteer organizations and the people of the Gulf Coast community. During her initial stay, Sarah worked on labor crews through Hands On Biloxi hanging and painting drywall. Eventually, she began working with Architecture for Humanity and the Design Studio performing neighborhood and housing surveys, designing home renovations, and developing a master plan for John Henry Beck Park.