Responding Rebuilding Restoring

New Orleans, Louisiana

Disaster Description
New Orleans was damaged not so much by the wind and rain of Hurricane Katrina, but by the failure of the levees surrounding the city to keep out the waters of adjacent Lake Pontchartrain. Much of the city was flooded and many homes still stand empty almost three years later.

MDS Response
MDS is repairing and rebuilding homes in various areas of New Orleans, including Gentilly, Lower 9th Ward and Upper 9th Ward. MDS partners with organizations such as Catholic Charities, Crescent Alliance Recovery Effort (CARE) and Greater New Orleans Disaster Recovery Partnership (GNODRP).

After almost 8 months of work, MDS completed renovations on the Hayne Blvd. building that will again be used to house volunteers. It is located in the northeast part of the city next to Lake Pontchartrain.

Photo Gallery

Julie-Kaufman-11

All suited up to work! -photo by Julie Kaufman

Hayne-Blvd

MDS building in New Orleans.

Painting-in-New-Orleans

A volunteer paints trim at a project in New Orleans.

The-D-family

The D family in front of their house.

Julie-Kaufman-9

Working together on the railing. -photo by Julie Kaufman

Cutting-the-studs

Framing in New Orleans.

Catalina-and-Lloyd-and-the-

Catalina and Lloyd and the new ramp.

Framing-in-New-Orleans-2

Youth volunteer framing in New Orleans.

Julie-Kaufman-8

Building the railing. -photo by Julie Kaufman

Break-time-at-Mr-Cs-house

Break time at Mr. C's house in New Orleans.

painting-at-Ms-Ts

MDS volunteer paints at Ms. T's house in New Orleans.

Lorena-presents-prayer-shaw

Lorena presents a prayer shawl to the new homeowner at her house dedication.

Martha-June-Graber-presntin

Martha June presents a quilted wall hanging to new homeowner Lily and daughter Diedre at their home dedication in New Orleans.

cws volunteers

Volunteers from 10 CWS partner groups work together. MDS volunteers Dave Wiebe, Wayne Stuckey and Art Zacharias are in this group.-Matt Hackworth

CWS house

Insulating one of the CWS houses during the Building Blitz in New Orleans.

CWS Orientation meeting

Volunteers from all 10 faith-based organizations involved in the CWS project meet together at the beginning of the Building Blitz.

Roof of the CWS house

Working on the roof at the CWS house.

Roof work CWS

MDS volunteer works on the roof at a CWS house.

Framing

Framing at a CWS partnership house.

Insulation

The insulation is installed.

trusses

Handing up the trusses.

CWS framing

MDS volunteers work with other CWS volunteers to frame this house.

Project Reports

Weekly Report for New Orleans

June 26, 2009

The weather remained extremely hot and humid when the team from Harvest Community Church (Pennsylvania) arrived. Many in the team had served with MDS before, and knowing the routine, were anxious to get to work. The week was...

Category: New Orleans, LA


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Map/Directions

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Project statistics

New Orleans
MDS
7520 Hayne Blvd.
New Orleans, LA 70126

Project Director: Mike Wilson


Phone:  (504) 309-9406
Fax:      (504) 309-9423
neworleans(at)mds.mennonite.net

Project Start Date: November 2006

Volunteer Status:  Full through September

Volunteers to Date: 1764

Jobs Started:
158

Jobs Completed: 149

Project End Date: TBA

Project schedule

January 11 - Winter short term volunteers at projects

Volunteer Information:
Please download and read the files listed below if you are planning and preparing for travel to work in New Orleans.

New Orleans Volunteer Information

Volunteer Information

 

Current Situation
04 Jul 2009


fair
86°F
Sunrise 6:03 am
Sunset 8:05 pm

Photo and Multimedia Galleries