Lower Ninth Ward in New Orleans
Today marks the beginning of my week long adventure in the wonderful city of New Orleans. My purpose here? To help rebuild homes for Katrina victims, gain a deeper understanding about the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and continue to spread awareness about the effects of the hurricane so that someday we may restore New Orleans to its former self.
I am currently at Camp Restore in New Orleans, Louisiana with eight students from my school, as well as six adult volunteers and twenty other students from a separate camp. Our service group departed from Seattle at 11:00 p.m. last night and arrived in Dallas at 5:00 a.m. I honestly wish I could say that I slept well on the flight, but I spent most of the morning tossing and turning in my seat. We stayed in Dallas for about an hour and a half until we finally left for New Orleans. We arrived at New Orleans at 8:20 a.m. - and so our adventure began!
After everyone got their belongings situated at the camp we preceded to have lunch, followed by an orientation at St. Bernard Project which is about 30 minutes from the camp. At the orientation we met up with an AmeriCorps volunteer who briefed us about Hurricane Katrina and its effect on the people of Louisiana, specifically the people living in the St. Bernard Parish. During the orientation we were informed that the people of the St. Bernard Parish are extremely family-orientated and often times live within close proximity of their extended family. Many of the homes in the St. Bernard Parish were passed down from several generations, which contributes to the close-knit factor of the small city.
When Hurricane Katrina swept over St. Bernard Parish the majority of homes were destroyed; entire families were torn apart; and the damage still remains visible today. It was heart-wrenching to hear the multiple road blocks home owners faced in order to rebuild their homes. First of all, flood insurance was not available to home owners because FEMA had stated a year prior to Katrina that the state of Louisiana was not endanger of any hurricanes because the last major hurricane to impact the state occurred in 1965. Even home owners insurance did not cover flood damage, leaving contractors as the last source of hope for several New Orleans citizens. Unfortunately, many contractors took advantage of home owners by running off with their wages without repairing any of the flood damage.
After the orientation our group had the opportunity to meet with Liz McCartney, one of the founders of the St. Bernard Project. The St. Bernard Project is a non-profit organization dedicated to rebuild homes for Hurricane Katrina victims. Mrs. McCarthy informed our group about the incredible impact the St. Bernard Project has had on the people of New Orleans. Over 200 homes have been rebuilt with the help of high school and college volunteers since the hurricane hit in 2005. The St. Bernard Project has also teamed up with Shirts Across America, which is the organization I am volunteering with.
At the end of the day our group made a trip down to the area most devastated by Hurricane Katrina- the Lower Ninth Ward. First we drove past the solar-powered homes designed and funded by Brad Pitt. The homes were incredibly unique and extremely interesting to look at. As we drove further into the Ninth Ward, the remains of the hurricane damage became more apparent through the vacant house lots, leaning telephone poles, and the debris that scattered the sides of the streets. There is a particular eeriness about the Lower Ninth Ward, and for the most part the whole area felt...empty.
We ended the day with a group reflection and prayer. Today was exhausting to say the least, but tomorrow is when the real work begins; we are going to start working on the houses tomorrow, and I could not be any more excited! Until then, good night and God bless.
For information regarding the St. Bernard Project visit: http://www.stbernardproject.org/
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