1. Through Latter-day Prophets, God has commanded us to have a year's supply of food and other essentials in our food storage: "The Church and its members are commanded by the Lord to be self-reliant and independent. (See D&C 78:13-14) "The responsibility for each person’s social, emotional, spiritual, physical, or economic well-being rests first upon himself, second upon his family, and third upon the Church if he is a faithful member thereof." (Spencer W. Kimball, "Welfare Services: The Gospel in Action," Ensign, Nov. 1977, 76) 2. Having a food storage of essential foods, clothing, fuel, and water will help us during times of personal and natural disasters. 3. When we are prepared we don't have to worry about "what if's" because we'll have our food storage. "If ye are prepared ye shall not fear." (D&C 38:30) 4. Building up a food storage helps us learn how to prepare and use basic foods. ---http://lds.about.com/library/weekly/aa112202a.htm ADDED DEC 20: There are no basements in New Orleans. They would flood from normal groundwater without rain or hurricanes. Many houses (except the newer ones in the suburbs) are built 3 or 4 steps up above street level to handle the temporary flooding during normal rains. So any supplies would have been stored on the first floor or above.

The answer to most of the "Why do Latter-day Saints..." questions is really the same. Because that's what God asked them to do and they trust God. - Food storage is no differant, it's something God has asked us to do. And I'm glad my Dad listened. Due to a series of unfortunate events, and one crooked lawyer/accountant, my parents went from being millionaires to broke and unemployed in a very short time. With no money coming in, the IRS taking their entire savings to the penny, and seven kids to feed I don't know what they would have done without their food storage. We lived off it for a year. My Dad has since made sure that all his kids understand you don't need a national or global disaster to need your food storage.