New Orleans, Louisiana

Site Director:Pauline Green
Phone: 504-450-4069
E-mail: pgreen.ndmva@gmail.com

Operation Helping Hands

The levee failure and subsequent flooding of New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina left 80% of this city of 450,000 people under water in late August of 2005. Now in 2008, federal aid is beginning to make its way through the many layers of bureaucracy to residents working to rebuilding their homes. The bulk of the rebuilding work, particularly for the city's most vulnerable homeowners, remains to be done. Operation Helping Hands is utilizing volunteers from across the country to help New Orleans homeowners revitalize their houses. We work with homeowners of all income levels to assist them in obtaining reconstruction bids from contractors and providing oversight of the contracted labor; navigating the complex process of applying for financial assistance; and completing work with volunteers, as the individual situation requires.

Operation Helping Hands utilizes Americorps volunteers to provide on-site leadership to the crews of short-term volunteers that work with our program. Volunteers complete a wide variety of rebuilding tasks, including painting, insulation, drywall, trim and flooring. Strong applicants will have a sincere desire to help the people of New Orleans recover from the disaster of Hurricane Katrina. Some construction background would be beneficial, though training opportunities will be provided throughout the year. Helping Hands has grown quickly into one of the largest volunteer organizations in post-Katrina New Orleans and needs Americorps volunteers able to work independently and take initiative in developing a construction knowledge base. Subsidized group housing, evening meals and health insurance are provided.

Good Shepherd School

Mission: Through giving an exceptional educational opportunity to at-risk students, Good Shepherd School ultimately addresses the poverty, racism, ignorance, and hopelessness prevalent in New Orleans' poorest communities. Ultimately, Good Shepherd inspires community development and gives its students to opportunity to pursue goals beyond the grip of poverty.
Programs: Good Shepherd School currently educates 90 students in grades K-5th. By the fall of 2007, Good Shepherd School will have 120 students in grades K-7th. With only 15 students per class, Good Shepherd School operates an extended-day, year-round school year to ensure the development of its students. Through following the Nativity Model of education, Good Shepherd School also provides enrichment and supplemental learning activities that are often unavailable to children who live below the poverty-line.
Who We Are: Good Shepherd School provides an excellent, tuition-free education to at-risk children in New Orleans to help them break free from the cycle of poverty.
AmeriCorps: As a member at the Good Shepherd School you will be paired with a lead teach. In the classroom you will have the freedom to teach lessons, assist students with difficult assignments, and lead an afterschool class in many fields such as but not limited to hip- hop classes, computer science, drawing, health and much more.

Boys Hope Girls Hope
Serve as a House Parent through our CHIP Program. More information coming soon!

New Orleans CHIP Coordinator
More information coming soon!