Motorcycle Makeover
Thank you to the members of the National Association of Buffalo Soldiers and Troopers Motorcycle Clubs who's members helped clear brush, cut weeds and do a general makeover at the new bike path along Bayou St. John. The group also helped spruce up City Park.
The new bike path along the bayou is wonderful! Go for a ride and check it out.
Learn more about the Buffalo Soldiers at
www.buffalosoldiermuseum.com
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Thank You
United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America,
New York City District Council of Carpenters and
Leary Firefighters Foundation
Lead by New York carpenter Gerry Crimmins, half of the 22 firehouses lost in Katrina have been restored by hundreds of union volunteers from New York and Louisiana.
After seeing the devastation for himself, Mr. Crimmins contacted the Leary Foundation, (a foundation set-up by actor Dennis Leary to assist firefighters), to see if they would help with the rebuilding of the fire stations. With an enthusiastic yes from the foundation, Mr. Crimmins recruited fellow carpenters who worked during their vacation time rebuilding the stations. Joining in the build were Louisiana carpenters and apprentices. All told, over $1.5 million in donated materials and labor help complete the fire stations.
Additionally, tools used in the volunteer effort were donated to the Louisiana Carpenters Regional Council's training school in New Orleans which was wiped out by Hurricane Katrina.
www.learyfirefighters.org
www.carpenters.org
www.nycdistrictcouncil.com
www.louisianacarpenters.org
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Thank You Shaun Donovan
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development secretary Shaun Donovan shed his business suit to float drywall at the home of Sally Allen in eastern New Orleans and planted periwinkles in Gentilly. He declared the federal government needs to do its part to rebuild the city.
Mr. Donovan was in town to promote President Obama's call for volunteerism. United We Serve, is led by the Corporation for National and Community Service, a federal agency which fosters service in communities.
Locally, the St. Bernard Project assisted Ms. Allen in repairing her home as well as Kenneth and Barbara Wiltz with their Gentilly home.
Also volunteering was Janet Woodka, named by Obama to head up Gulf Coast recovery. She believes there is tremendous support in Washington.
To volunteer in your community visit:
www.serve.gov
To learn more about the St. Bernard Project:
www.stbernardproject.org
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Thank You Society of Human Resources Management
About 250 human resource professionals, in town for their annual conference, planted trees and shrubs in the neutral ground along St. Roch Ave. between Gentilly Blvd. and Filmore Ave. The group worked with the Beacon of Hope for their day of service.
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Merci to TKE
More than 1000 members of Tau Kappa Epsilon came from across the country to converged on New Orleans for their biennial conclave. The last time the group was here was just before Hurricane Katrina. While here, members volunteered to helped clear vegetation from the Bayou St. John shoreline while others pulled invasive ragweed and spread mulch on trails in the Couturie Forest in City Park.
We thank them for volunteering in what has become the largest TKE service day in history.
Read more about it
www.tke.org
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Hip-hop for St. Roch
Hip-hop artists Mia X, Soundclash, ICU, and Large Marge Music Group worked to refurbish the baseball field and playground of Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic church and school that was recently cleared of FEMA trailors. The group of artists wanted to give back to the community and help the recreation spot reemerge as a community landmark and to make others aware of the positive efforts the hip-hop artists have in the community.
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Musical Appreciation
Singer Tony Bennett, "O", the Oprah Winfrey magazine, and Dr. Barry Jaffin donated $100,000 worth of new musical instruments to the KIPP Believe College Prep Academy. Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation and the Gibson Foundation also contributed to this donation.
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37,000 Thank You(s)
The Evangelical Lutheran Church's 2009 Youth Gathering took place in New Orleans and included 3 full days of volunteering by the young adults. They performed 250,000 hours of community service. We can't thank them enough for their commitment to holding the gathering here and helping us with our recovery. Volunteers worked on projects at 82 schools, 21 community centers, 13 churches and 7 public parks as well as building homes and reading to children.
At City Park, the work the volunteers did in 3 days would have taken 3 full-times staff members at least a year to complete.
The "Jesus, Justice and Jazz" youth gathering was the largest meeting held in New Orleans since Hurricane Katrina.
Click www.elca.org.
To learn more about the Lutheran Disaster Response, visit www.ldr.org.
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Thank You Microsoft
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund
The Institute for Museum and Library Services
Microsoft held their Worldwide Partner conference in New Orleans recently. Part of their conference included a "Day of Giving" in which Microsoft employees and other volunteers participated in various activities that gave back to the city of New Orleans.
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has been very active with the reestablishment of public libraries in New Orleans and the Gulf South. A $12.2 million grant will help libraries establish 22 temporary facilities in the region. Reconstruction and recovery of Gulf Coast libraries is being assisted by the Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund which has made $5 million available. Helping to staff the libraries is the Institute for Museum and Library Services with a $500,000 grant.
Visit http://www.gates foundation.org to learn more how these organizations are helping the libraries recover in the Gulf South.
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Thank You Catholic Charities of Youngstown, Ohio
Volunteers from the Catholic diocese of Youngstown, Ohio rebuilt the home of Lisa Everage of Arabi. The home was blessed by Bishop Gregory Murry. The Youngstown diocese has been sending volunteers to New Orleans since Hurricane Katrina. Their efforts were recently recognized by Congress. On July 29, 2009 Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Youngstown was presented with a congressional certificate "in recognition of their outstanding and invaluable service to the community through their diligent volunteer efforts to rebuild and renovate homes in New Orleans during the four years since Hurricane Katrina."
You can download the Youngstown Ohio Catholic Charities Hurricane Disaster Update pdf.
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Thank You Leonard Riggio
Project Home Again was started by Barnes & Noble chariman Leonard Riggio and his wife Louise, last year. The nonprofit has built 20 homes on St. Bernard Avenue and will be building 12 more in Gentilly in the next round of construction. Applications are being accepted now.
Here's the link: www.projecthomeagain.net
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Thanks Saints
The Superbowl will be returning to New Orleans in 2013 thanks to the efforts of owner Tom Benson and the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation. The selection of New Orleans to host the big event is the last major sporting event to commit to holding their event in New Orleans post Katrina.
New Orleans will play host to the NCAA first and second round games in 2010 and regional games in 2011. BCS national championship game, Southeastern Conference men's basketball tournament and Final Four in 2012. Superbowl and NCAA Women's Final Four 2013 and the NBA All-Star Game in 2014.
In the meantime, Saints players have donated time and money to help with the rebuilding. Leigh Torrence along with Habitat for Humanity and Judge Mark Doherty are mentoring at-risk youths and rebuilding damaged homes. Mr. Torrence is bringing his Atlanta program to New Orleans and including rebuilding in its mission.
Drew Brees assisted his college fraternity, Sigma Chi's Rebuilding through Brotherhood and Habitat for Humanity in a project on the West Bank. The Brees Dream Foundation also hosted the Domino Effect, a tribute to Fats Domino. A portion of the proceeds from this music extravaganza will go to complete the Brees Dream Foundation's Rebuilding Dreams Campaign, which began in 2007 and is focused on providing care, education and opportunities for the children of New Orleans.
To learn more about both foundations:
www.drewbrees.com
www.leightorrence.com
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Thank You Bonnaroo
The Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival is donating $240,000 to several New Orleans nonprofits. Part of the funding was raised through donations at last year's festival.
Organizations benefiting from this donation include:
Tipitina's Foundation www.tipitinasfoundation.org
New Orleans Musiciana Clinic www.neworleansmusiciansclinic.org
New Orleans Center for Creative Arts www.nocca.com
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Thank You Katrina Class
Armed with their newly minted diplomas, recent college graduates are taking off in pursuit of their dreams. For the Katrina Class, who's education was interrupted by Hurricane Katrina and scattered across the country, we thank you for returning to your beloved college or university in New Orleans and the surrounding area and finishing your degree here. We know it was a hard road to travel but your determination to complete your education where you started gives us all hope.
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Thank You Chris Madden
Designer Chris Madden launched Project Katrina in 2007 to to help families in the Gulf Coast who had lost their homes and all of their belongings to Hurricane Katrina. She partnering with Architecture for Humanity in Biloxi, Mississippi and Habitat for Humanity in New Orleans.
Working with Habitat for Humanity, she recently outfited the new home of Al "Carnival Time" Johnson in Musician's Village. Al can't thank her and her staff enough for everything they have done.
http:///www.youtube.com for a short documetary by Chris Madden helping in Pass Christian, MS.
http://www.youtube.com To hear "Carnival Time" by Al Johnson
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Thank You Sandra Bullock
Sandra Bullock's most recent honor was her induction into the Warren Easton HIgh School's Hall of Fame. Since Katrina, Sandra has quietly supported the rebuilding efforts of this high school because "its an architectural gem" she said. While her donation has not been made public, she did say it is the best investment she ever made. Perhaps her support of Warren Easton is one of the reasons why her husband, Jesse James, did not call upon her for donations in the Celebrity Apprentice?
To learn more about Warren Easton, use this link: http://www.warreneastonseniorhigh.org/
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Blue Line Foundation
Dan Aykroyd, having pitched in right after Hurricane Katrina, has formed the Blue Line Foundation with Harahan Police Chief Peter Dale. The Foundation recently purchased 21 storm damaged properties around Dillard University. They will build new homes or repair existing ones on the property which will then be sold to first responders - police, firefighters and emergency medical technicians.
The Foundation has partnered with Coastal Green Development and they hope to rebuild 400 properties in the city.
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Thanks Chruch World Service
This international social justice and disaster relief organization is partnered with 35 Protestant, Angelican and Orthodox churches. Ten of these project partners are working together to rehabilitate the Little Woods section of Eastern New Orleans. More than 500 people from 27 U.S. states and Canada came to New Orleans as volunteers. Workers started just after Easter and should finish by the end of May on the 15 homes they are rebuilding.
The organization selected the Little Woods section of the city because it had not received much attention. Church World Service was assisted by CARE - Crescent Alliance Recovery Effort to determine where to help in the city.
http://www.churchworldservice.org
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Journey of Change - Thank You
Twenty-six young adults from Brooklny, New York volunteered to help rebuild in St. Bernard Parish. They are part of Journey for Change: Empowering Youth Through Global Service. The program was started by Malaak Compton-Rock (wife of Chris Rock) to help at-risk youth in Brooklny learn about service to others and seeing life beyond their borough. Most of the teenages attend the after school program at the Salvation Army Bushwick Community Center.
Working with the St. Bernard Project, the volunteers spent a week repairing homes in Violet and Chalmette where they learned not only some new skills but also about the impact Hurricane Katrina had on the families they were helping.
The youths pledge a year of service. Helping in New Orleans was their second service trip. They traveled to Johannesburg, South Africa last year.
Visit www.angelrockproject.com to learn more.
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Thank You Allstate Foundation
The Allstate Foundation's "Little Hands Neighborhood Playground Partnership" and its partners are building six recreational playgrounds across the city. The recently completed Harrel Park Playground was the third project to be completed. Allstate will also maintain the playgrounds for 5 years.
Located in the Carrollton area, the playground has become a bright spot the for the community to rally around and come together.
Other groups volunteering in the community are helping them turn the corner on the recovery. They include Xavier University, Peace Corp, Sophie B. Wright High School, YMCA and church organizations.
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St. Bernard Project Volunteers - Thank You
Over 11,000 volunteers have helped The St. Bernard Project with rebuilding the Parish. To date, 209 homes have been rebuild by the volunteers. The organization is able to rebuild a home in 12 weeks for $12,000. The rebuilding program helps senior citizens, people with disabilities and families with children that cannot afford to have their home rebuilt by a contractor. 30 homes are currently being worked on.
All 27,000 homes in the parish were rendered uninhabitable by the storm. Nearly 4 years later, just over half of the residents have returned.
www.stbenardproject.org
___________________________________________________________ Alternative Spring Breakers - Thank You
The 2009 spring break season is behind us but college students from all over the country descended on the region to help once again with the rebuilding effort. Mixed in with first time student volunteers were other adults as well. Many volunteers were back for their second or third time.
There are 11 bunk houses through out the area that are housing the volunteers with "Camp Hope" being able to house 800 people a night. Almost 4 years later and Katrina fatigue has not set in. There is still much to be done.
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Thank You Samaritan's Purse
The international relief ministry Samaritan's Purse has teamed up with the Franklin Avenue Baptist Church to help residents rebuild and return home. The plan is to work on 50 properties in the 8th Ward. Homeowners who meet modest-income requirements will have their homes repaired at little or no costs to them. Additionally, homes from the Louisiana Land Trust will be purchased from the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority and renovated or replaced. These homes will be given to needy families.
The church is supplying food and shelter for the out-of-towners that are volunteering on the project.
Samaritan's Purse is based in North Carolina and is run by Franklin Graham, son of Billy Graham.
$3.7 million in donations has been raised from folks all over the world. Volunteers are from across the country and recently 20 college students from Grove City College spent their spring break working on the home of Annie and Arnold Montana.
www.samaritanspurse.org
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Xavier University Students help in Galveston
Knowing the difficulties of recovering from hurricanes, 50 students from Xavier University in New Orleans recently gave back to Galveston, Texas. Working with Catholic Charities, the group did an alternative spring break to help an elderly couple recover from Hurricane Ike.
Back in New Orleans, Catholic Charities' Operation Helping Hands celebrated 25,000 volunteers and 2,500 gutting/rebuilding projects since Katrina.
www.ccano.org
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Thank You Bon Jovi
Bon Jovi donated $1 million to build homes in Houma, Louisiana. This project was also assisted by Oprah’s Winfrey’s Angel Network and Habitat for Humanity. ______________________________________________________
Thank You Hornets, Habitat and Volunteers
New Orleans East got some needed help with a joint venture by the New Orleans Hornets, Habitat for Humanity and out of town volunteers. Construction started on 3 homes for eastern New Orleans residents Ebonne Richardson, Crystal Galloway and Rose Francois.
The Hornets are very active in the community, check it out.
www.nba.com/hornets/community/
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Thank You Bosnia and Herzegovina
16 University students from Bosnia and Herzegovina who are studying in the United States at St. John’s University and the College of Benedict were the first group of foreigners to volunteer in City Park. City Park sustained over $43 million in damages. So far, more than 25,000 volunteers have worked on City Park.
www.neworleanscitypark.com
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Thank You Hike for KaTREEna
Hike for KaTREEna has been planting trees lost to hurricane Katrina throughout the area. Tulane students helped the cause by planting trees on the neutral ground from the Mississippi River to Fontainebleau Drive.
So far, this organization has planted 4,500 trees in New Orleans since Hurricane Katrina. They have a long way to go as over 100,000 trees were lost in the aftermath of the storm.
www.hikeforkatreena.com
504-301-5628
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The “Field of Dreams” gets closer
The grass roots effort to restore a sports facility at Carver High School in the upper 9th Ward is one step closer. Early fund raising by teachers secured $200,000 from the Recovery School District and others. Meeting this minimum, the group competed for a grant from the NFL’s Grassroots Program which they recently won. To date, over $1.05 million has been pledged. The campaign needs $1.85 million. If met, a synthetic turf football field with bleachers and a running track will be added to the Carver High School campus.
Donation breakdown:
New Orleans Saints and the NFL $200,000
Nike $100,000
N.O. City Council member Arnie Fielkow $25,000
Kiwanas Club of Pontchartrain $10,000
$491,555 in-kind donations from Eskew & Dumez & Ripple,
Schrenk & Peterson, EC Durr
Recovery School District $200,000
$31,174 in individual donations
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Make It Right Foundation
Brad Pitt's Make It Right Foundation is making the Lower 9th Ward one of America's largest "green" neighborhoods. 150 homes are planned to have solar panels, termite and mold protection and other cost saving features. Currently, 8 families have moved into their new homes and construction has begun on 16 more. 91 of the 150 homes have been sponsored. Ellen DeGeneres' team sponsored home is home #9. If you want to help make it right and help rebuild in the 9th Ward, click the link.
www.makeitright.org
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Update:
The Episcopal Dioceses of Louisiana recently celebrated a milestone with 50 homes completely rebuilt and occupied by the families.
Habitat for Humanity has constructed 216 new homes with the help of Southern Baptists and others.
Operation Helping Hands, a Catholic Church organization has rehabbed 80 homes.
The United Methodist’s Northshore Disaster Recovery Center, have completely rehabbed 900 homes.
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Thank You Phi Beta Sigma
This international fraternal organization has moved their 2009 convention from Washington D.C. to New Orleans to help with the rebuilding and is donating $85,000 to the New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity. The funds will be used to build an affordable home for a local family. Phi Beta Sigma volunteers and the family will construct the home together.
www.pbs1914.org
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Thank You United Jewish Community
Recently in New Orleans, the United Jewish Communities/Jewish Federation of North America’s National Young Leadership conference members volunteered to transform Hannan High School into a community center. Over 600 young Jewish professionals from 60 communities participated in the volunteer effort as part of the federation’s imperative of tikkum olam, “repair the world”.
In 2005 the UJC/Federation system raised nearly $30 million for Hurricane Katrina relief.
www.ujc.org
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Thank You Robin Niderost
Volunteer Robin Niderost, having volunteered once with a church group decided to take early retirement and spent 4 months helping to rebuild the home of Dorothy House and others. Robing spent another 3 month here recently and said “I get so much more than I give.”
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Thank You President Obama
President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden have pledged to keep the broken promises made by President George Bush to rebuild New Orleans and the Gulf South. Use the following link to read the current administrations agenda regarding Hurricane Katrina.
www.whitehouse.gov/agenda/additional/
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Thank You KaBOOM!, Operation Reach and
The Chrysler Foundation
These three organizations joined forces to build a playground at the Knowledge Garden Child Development Center on Carondelet St. With the help of 200 volunteers and neighbors, the playground - designed by students, is now in place.
KaBoom! launched Operation Playground after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita hit the Gulf Coast. Their goal is to build 100 playgrounds in the area.
www.kaboom.org
www.operationreach.org
www.thechryslerfoundation.com
www.myknowledgegarden.com
______________________________________________________Thank You City Park Volunteers
More than 21,000 volunteers have worked over 100,000 hours to bring City Park back. Recently 200 volunteers from Carlson Wagonlit Travel pitched in to help the park. Since Katrina, the value of the volunteer hours is estimated to be just shy of $2 million. To volunteer at the park or obtain information about City Park, visit their website www.neworleanscitypark.com.
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Operation Helping Hands
Sponsored by Catholic Charities Archdiocese of New Orleans, Operation Helping Hands has had over 18,000 volunteers come to the city and help with the recovery. The organization has rebuilt 62 homes and painted the exterior of 133 homes.
Operation Helping Hands utilizes local and national volunteers to rebuild homes of elderly, disabled, or uninsured victims of Hurricane Katrina. They are also gutting homes for those who experienced damaged from Hurricanes Katrina. They are also gutting homes for those who experienced damaged from Hurricanes Gustav and Ike.
www.catholiccharities-no.org/post-katrina
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Jericho Road Episcopal Housing Initiative
Working to improve home ownership in Central City, Jericho Road Episcopal Housing Initiative is purchasing lots and building home for low to moderate income buyers. 14 new homes have already been purchased by first time home buyers, 20 more are in the pipeline and 49 lots have been purchased.
www.jerichohousing.org
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Thank You Kuwait
With a donation of $25 million to the Red Cross from the Kuwaiti Red Crescent Society, the Southeast Louisiana Chapter of the American Red Cross is set to open a new $5 million facility that will be a regional operations center to server the communities of Orleans, Jefferson, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. John the Baptist, Washington, Terrebonne, Lafourche, St. Mary and Assumption parishes.
Also contributing to the center is the Northshore Community Foundation and the St. Tammany Homebuilders Association.
www.redcross.org
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Baptist Crossroads Project
and local partner New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity
With the help of more than 20,000 volunteers, Baptist Crossroads Project and New Orleans Habitat for Humanity have completed 31 homes in the Musicians’ Village, 17 homes in the Upper 9th Ward and have 17 more homes in various stages of construction.
The Baptist Crossroads Project needs you help as they want to expand their mission by including neighborhood and community development. If you would like to help contact volunteer coordinator Jared Pryer.
www.baptistcrossroads.org
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10,000 Thank You(s) to Starbucks, We believe in the power!
10,000 Starbucks employees have descended on New Orleans for the companies’ first ever annual leadership meeting outside of Seattle. First, we thank you for deciding to hold your leadership meeting here. Second, we give 10,000 thanks to the Starbucks employees for volunteering their time to see that this great American city rebounds and rebuilds from Hurricane Katrina.
This week, employees are helping to restore parks, schools and homes through out the city. Working with several nonprofits, Rebuilding New Orleans Together, Crescent City Art Project and the New Orleans Food & Farm Network, Starbucks employees have been asked to wear many hats to help each organization. They have waded through marsh grass, scraped and painted houses, built playgrounds and planted vegetable gardens.
Today’s event focused on helping the Crescent City Art Project. Painting over 1400 canvases and tiling 125 mosaic benches (in 2 hours), Starbucks employees showed they can not only pour a good venti but are also creative with the brush and tessera as well.
Organized by Tim White, Executive Director, and D. Banfield, Executive Creative Director for CCAP, this Starbucks service project benefited 25 schools in the recovery School District. Leading the mosaic team was Laurel True of True Mosaics and all 1400 canvas images were designed by Mr. Banfield.
Starbucks is providing more than $1 millions in grants to the nonprofits to continue the rebuilding after they have left town. For many of the employees, it was their first time to New Orleans and being able to contribute to the recovery was something they could not wait to do.
For New Orleans and Starbucks it’s “Onward” from here.
Thank you, again. Hope y’all come back next year!
For more information regarding the nonprofits Starbucks is supporting in New Orleans, visit:
www.rtno.org - Rebuilding New Orleans Together
www.crescentcityartproject.org - Crescent City Art Project
www.noffn.org - New Orleans Food & Farm Network
To find your nearest Starbucks www.starbucks.com
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Thank You Montgomery Blair High School
After watching Spike Lee's movie, "When the Levees Broke", students at Montgomery Blair High School in Silver Springs, MD, wanted to do something to help with the recovery. Students Neva Bowers and Eliot Gold organized a 5K run to coincide with the 3rd anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.
While most of us were evacuating for Hurricane Gustav, our friends in Maryland were running their hearts out. Hoping to raise $3000 - $5000, the students surpassed their goal and raised over $12,000 which they donated to "Hands on New Orleans", a non-profit helping with the recovery effort.
To read more about the students use this link: silverchips.mbhs.edu/inside.php?sid=8442
Use this link to see the story on the local news: http://www.myfoxdc.com
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Thank You Carter's Kids
Carter Oosterhouse of HGTV has partnered his non-profit, Carter's Kids with Kids of Excellence and the United Way to help rebuild a children's playground on Franklin Avenue. Mr. Oosterhouse is committed to raising the activity level of kids by building and developing community parks and playgrounds across the country. We thank him and his foundation for focusing on the children of New Orleans and drawing attention to the rebuilding of the Kids of Excellence Child Care Center.
To learn more about Carter's Kids, go to www.carteroosterhouse.com
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Thank You Hands on New Orleans
Since March of 2006 over 7,000 Hands On New Orleans Volunteers have:
-Gutted nearly 300 houses
-Completed over 150 skilled jobs
-Revitalized over 30 community spaces
-Contributed over 24,000 hours in schools
-Served nearly 10,000 hours at local animal shelters
-Estimated costs savings to the community $6,071,037.28
Hands On New Orleans is now able to house 40 volunteers at their Mid City volunteer house.
For more information see www.handsonnetwork.org or www.pointsoflight.org
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Thank You Cable Hope Fund
The Cable Hope Fund has donated more than $280,000 collected during The Cable Show ’08 CableCares initiative to community rebuilding organizations in the New Orleans area. The donations were made possible by contributions from cable industry companies, organizations, and individuals in support of the local communities affected by Hurricane Katrina.
Organizations they have donated to are: Hands on New Orleans, Volunteers of America of Greater New Orleans and the Greater New Orleans Foundation.
Use the following link to read more.
www.ncta.com/ReleaseType/MediaRelease/Cable-Hope-Fund-Grants-MoneyRaised-During-CableCares.aspx
______________________________________________________ Here’s to the Locals! For all you do, Thank You!
We’re in this together and rebuilding together. That’s a new focus of Rebuilding Together New Orleans, a Preservation Resource Center program. Recently, over 700 local volunteers from 28 local organizations worked on repairing 23 homes belonging to low-income elderly, disabled or first responders.
Targeting five neighborhoods, Holy Cross, Hollygrove, Broadmore, Faubourg St. Roch and Esplanade Ridge/Treme’, the PRC’s Rebuild New Orleans has rebuilt 115 homes with the help of 4700 volunteers from all over the country since Katrina. The rebuild in October was made up of all local volunteers and it shows that those that are home are helping others come back. In fact, Rebuild Together will now have monthly rebuilds for local volunteers.
Contact info: 504-636-076
Email: cmetzguer@prcno.org
Rebuild Together New Orleans website: www.rtno.org
______________________________________________________ Thanks for planting seeds of recovery!
When given a lemon, they planted the seeds. Plans for the American Community Gardening Association conference fell through so New Orleanian Greta Gladney, founder of the Renaissance Project (a 9th Ward non-profit), continued with the planned service project. Restoring and building new community gardens in the Bywater, 7th Ward, Gentilly, the Marigny, Upper 9th Ward and Algiers. With help from NeighborWorks America and Venice Williams of SeedFolks Ministry, more than 70 local and out-of-town volunteers worked for 4 days on 9 gardens.
To learn more about these organizations visit,
www.therenaissanceproject.la/
www.nw.org/asp network/home.
www.milwaukeeurbangardens.org/gardens/hocking/hocking.html
______________________________________________________ Thank You
Gentilly Civic Improvement Association
The first Gentilly Fest was fun for kids and adults alike. What a great event, 80% of the proceeds are going to support “First Responders” in the historic Gentilly neighborhoods. Founded in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, GCIA works with local, state and federal officials on priority recovery issues, providing a clearinghouse for information and resources to residents and businesses who call Gentilly home.
Your continued support for New Orleans Police and Fire Departments in Gentilly will expedite the recovery and bring neighbors back to Gentilly. Thanks for a wonderful fest!
Visit www.gcia.us for information regarding the Gentilly neighborhoods of New Orleans.
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The United Way,
Greater New Orleans Rebuild Child Care Collaborative
and Emeril Lagasse Foundation, Thank You!!!
With help from these organizations, Gilda Duplessis has not only been able to re-open her child care facility (Gilda's Academy) in eastern New Orleans, she was also able to expand her nutrition instruction program by building a garden next to the center's playground with the funds she received from the Emeril Lagasse Foundation.
Before Hurricane Katrina, there were 275 child-care facilities in New Orleans. As of today, only 117 have reopened. The United Way and the Child Care Collaborative are assisting facilities to re-open post-Katrina.
To make a donation to help call or go to www.unitedwaynola.org
__________________________________________________________________________ Thank You River Of Hope
Dr. Rebecca Tomley and Mayra Hage helped with mental health efforts right after Hurricane Katrina. These Minnesotans, along with employees of Orion Associates, Meridian Services and Zenith Services, regularly volunteer to visit New Orleans and help with the city's recovery. Focused on the 9th Ward and St. Bernard Parish, they have gutted and rebuilt homes and have helped with financial assistance, all through their "River of Hope" project.
Please visit www.ariverofhope.com to learn more about the great work they have done here and at other disasters. Also, please thank the many companies and citizens up river that support your efforts here.
____________________________________________________________________ Thank You to the LSU Health System
Thank you to all of the staff who worked tirelessly at the Interim LSU Public Hospital and LSU DePaul Inpatient Psychiatric Unit to provide medical and emotional care for our patient's during Hurricane Gustav, we say, "Thank You".
To our team members who were with us in spirit, we extend our appreciation to you for your thoughts and prayers - we felt your support throughout the week.
We have a fantastic team who never fails to put the needs of our patients first. I am proud to work with you, and I greatly appreciate the effort that each and everyone of you displayed.
Sincerely,
Cathi Fontenot, MD
Medical Director and Interim CEO
Interim LSU Public Hospital
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Thank You Shaklee Corporation!
In early August the Shaklee Corporation (www.shaklee.com) held their convention in New Orleans with 35,000 attendees.
Before the convention began, approximately 700 Shaklee members volunteered to help rebuild New Orleans. Here they are shown working on the courtyard of KIPP Central City Primary. We thank Shaklee for hosting their convention here and helping in the rebirth of New Orleans.
A special thanks to my nieces and sister-in-law for volunteering. I hope you enjoy your pendants!
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Thank You Katrina Cougars
Neither Tropical Storm Faye nor Hurricane Gustav could prevent the Notre Dame Catholic Secondary School football team of Ajax, Ontario, Canada from completing its mission. Bookend by the two storms, the student volunteers from Canada returned again this year to help with the recovery. Working with Catholic Charities’ Operation Helping Hands our friends from the North, lead by Coach Hughes, finished their recovery tasks in the shadow of Gustav while also preparing for a football jamboree. We thank them for their work and donations raised to help the city recover.
Please visit http://ndcougars.blogspot.com to read Coach Hughes’ blog about their experiences here.
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Thank You Yoshio and Keiko
Since 1994, Yoshio Toyama and his wife Keiko have been collecting musical instruments to give to area students through their organization, The Wonderful World Jazz Foundation based in Japan. They have also raised over $100,000 to help professional musicians recover and bring the music back since Hurricane Katrina.
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Known as the “Satchmo of Japan”, Yoshio, (who plays trumpet), and Keiko, (the banjo), lived in New Orleans for five years in the late 60’s. They fine tuned their jazz skills as newlyweds living on Bourbon Street while studying with the masters at Preservation Hall. They returned to Japan in 1973.
We thank Keiko and Yoshio for all they have done for New Orleans.
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