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"Love is the spirit of this church and
service its law" |
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Welcome to New
Orleans 2008/09
Table of
Contents
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Introduction
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The Volunteer Center
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What to Bring
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Partner Organizations
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Workplace Safety
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Frequently Asked Questions
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Medical Facilities
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Pharmacies
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Area Grocery Stores
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Places to Shop/Eat
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Music Hotspots
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Climate
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Sightseeing
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Our “Chultcha”
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Natives
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Evacuation Procedure (during hurricane
season)
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Contact Info
Introduction
Purpose of the
Volunteer Program The purpose of the New Orleans Rebirth Volunteer Center is to allow UU’s to live their faith by standing in solidarity with the people of the Gulf Coast for a just and equitable recovery through active engagement by UU congregations in partnership with others. About the
Volunteer Program Working with community partners, the program connects volunteers with opportunities to address the needs of those in New Orleans affected by Katrina. There are several key components of the program designed to help volunteers understand the context in which they are working, to process their experience, and to be effective witnesses of the continued devastation of the Gulf Coast. These are:
·
An initial orientation including rules and
procedures for the volunteer center, history of Hurricane Katrina and the
geography of New Orleans, current situation in New Orleans, and an overview
of work safety issues.
·
An opportunity to go on a self-guided driving
tour of the devastated area of New Orleans.
·
A Dialogue on Race, Class and Katrina which
enables a discussion of about the inequalities in the region’s rebuilding
and recovery process.
·
One or more debriefings during the week with
the volunteer coordinators about group members’ experiences, and the
opportunity to complete an evaluation of the program.
The Volunteer
Center
The Volunteer Center is located at the First Unitarian Universalist Church of New Orleans (FUUNO), 2903 Jefferson Avenue, which sits in an area known as Uptown. The church itself is at the intersection of four streets. The two major streets are So. Claiborne and Jefferson, which run along the front and side of the church. Two smaller streets, Story and Soniat, run behind and next to the building. Volunteers use the entrance on Soniat. The Uptown area is upriver of the center of the city and includes residential neighborhoods as well as commercial businesses, universities, churches and the Audubon Zoo and Park. In the immediate vicinity, you’ll find some nice places to eat, grocery stores “to make groceries” as we say in New Orleans, music venues and entertainment. There are also drugstores and medical centers nearby. The nearest coffee shops, grocery store and restaurants are straight down Jefferson to Magazine Street and over to Napoleon down Claiborne.
The volunteer center is on the second floor of FUUNO. It is like staying in a hostel. There are bunk beds in three rooms: a women’s dorm, a men’s dorm and a co-ed/stay up late room. There is a kitchen equipped with all of the basics, including a refrigerator, and a dining room. There is a shower in both the men’s and women’s restrooms, with access to more showers at a neighboring church. We also have a washer and dryer and a computer with internet access that guests are welcome to use. The center is air conditioned. While staying in the center volunteer groups can do their own cooking. Not only does this help reduce costs, but it provides an activity around which groups come together. The exception to this is that the volunteer center staff will provide dinner on the night of each group’s Race, Class and Katrina Dialogue. The volunteer center will provide bedding. We also have extra toiletries should you forget something. Before you leave, it is your responsibility to wash and replace your bedding. Volunteers are also asked to replace items kept on hand that will be consumed during the course of their stay such as toilet paper, paper towels and garbage bags. Plan to purchase these along with your other groceries. One of our hopes is that in addition to volunteer work, groups also get to enjoy New Orleans. You will have free time on most nights, and we encourage you to get out and see the city. It would be a shame if you didn’t get to have an authentic New Orleans meal and hear some jazz at least once while you are here. If you can, take a night time ferry ride after Café Au Lait and beignets at Café Du Monde. Just don’t stay out too late, you’ll probably have to work the next morning!
Volunteer Center Rules
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If you open it – close it
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If you use it up – replace it.
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If you turn it on – turn it off
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If you unlock it – lock it up
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If you move it – put it back
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If it belongs to someone else and you want it
– get permission
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If you borrow it – return it
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If you don’t know how to operate it – leave
it alone
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If you need help- ask for it
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If you use it – take care of it
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If you break it – repair it
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If you can’t repair it – report it
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If you mess it up – clean it up
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If it will brighten someone’s day – say it
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If you want to know – ask
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After 10 p.m. be quiet – people are sleeping
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If you brought it with you – take it home.
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Remember – your mother doesn’t work here so
take care of yourself.
Cost Staying at the volunteer center costs $20.00 per person per night for Unitarian Universalists who are volunteering through the New Orleans Rebirth Volunteer Center. For those not volunteering through the program, or are not Unitarian Universalists, the cost is $25.00 per person per night.
Bathroom and Task Schedules Because facilities at the church are limited, we recommend that groups make schedules for both shower times and basic tasks. Volunteers will have a designated time for showers, keeping them short when there are many people waiting. It’s imperative that individuals are considerate of others waiting so that everyone has the chance to use the showers. Depending on the number of men and women volunteers, shower schedules may be arranged by gender. When large groups are at the center they are allowed to use showers at a nearby church. At the end of this welcome packet you will find a blank task schedule which we suggest groups use. This covers cooking and cleaning up after meals, making sure the bathrooms stay clean, and taking out the trash. We recommend that trash barrels be emptied once a day. Trash must be taken out Monday and Thursday nights for collection on Tuesday and Friday. Groups are also required to sweep and mop at the end of their stay. Remember to take all of your belongings when you leave.
What to bring
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Prescription and over-the-counter medicines
o
Health insurance card
o
Towels and washcloths (limited availability)
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A bathrobe or something else to wear to and
from the shower
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Toiletries
o
Sunscreen and insect repellant
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A hat for the sun
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Water Bottle
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Shower shoes
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Books, instruments, cards, etc.
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Personal first aid kit
o
Work Clothing – If you are doing physical
labor
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Work Boots or other thick soles shoes
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Long Pants
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Gloves
§
At least one shirt and pair of pants that you
can paint in
Partner
Organizations A la Maison facilitates the reconstruction of churches and homes in New Orleans, and was a partner with ACT in establishing the Lower 9th Ward Resurrection Project furniture bank. Volunteers have worked with A la Maison to repair a local 7th Ward church that was severely damaged during the flooding. All Congregations Together (ACT) works with ministers, schools and community leaders to mobilize evacuees and returnees around the right to return, the right to vote, the right to services, etc. They carry out an active advocacy agenda on behalf of those affected by the hurricane. Our volunteers have helped to repair resident’s homes, and also to launch The Resurrection Project in the Lower 9th Ward that distributes free furniture to low income residents. ACT has also helped to place volunteers in the Dr. Martin Luther King Charter School, the only public school open in the Lower 9th Ward. The Amistad
Research Center is the
nation's largest independent archives
specializing in the history of African Americans and other ethnic groups. It
is dedicated to preserving America's ethnic heritage by providing a home to
the manuscripts, photographs, oral histories, books, periodicals and works
of art that contain the history of peoples, of nations, of beliefs and
dreams, of a past worth sharing with the future.
Volunteers are helping Center staff to restore Amistad’s archives. Animal Rescue
New Orleans (ARNO) was
established immediately after Katrina to care for the thousands of abandoned
animals that were left in New Orleans.
Currently ARNO runs a shelter and provides medical care for over a
hundred animals, while trying to place them in homes across the country.
Volunteers help to care for the animals and make the shelter a more
comfortable place. Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) is a grassroots membership-organization working for social justice and equality. Since Katrina, ACORN's semi-autonomous New Orleans chapter has been involved in lobbying Washington for federal funding for rebuilding, anti-bulldozing class action lawsuits on behalf of residents in the Lower 9 the Ward, and organizing residents to prepare for the neighborhood planning process. Program volunteers have worked through ACORN to gut flooded houses across the city, and also to cut lawns in the Lower 9th Ward so that the homeowners are not fined. Common Ground provides short term relief for victims of hurricane disasters in the Gulf Coast region, and long term support in rebuilding the communities affected in the New Orleans area. Common Ground is a community-initiated volunteer organization offering assistance, mutual aid and support. They operate a Lower 9th Ward distribution center, and organize rebuilding projects on the streets closest to the major levee breach. Habitat for Humanity is known for the construction work that it organizes for low income families across the world. In addition to the work on individual families’ homes here in New Orleans, volunteers placed with Habitat have worked on the Musician’s Village, a project designed to allow New Orleans musicians to return home.
The Lower 9th Ward Neighborhood Empowerment Network Association (NENA) was founded to empower residents to take control of the redevelopment of their neighborhood post-Katrina. Their recovery center provides residents with a central location to access information about recovery options and issues, as well as community activities that would not otherwise be available. It currently serves over 1000 individuals who have returned to the neighborhood, 98% of whom are low-income, African Americans. Groups that have volunteered through NENA have rebuilt resident’s homes and done important yard work that prevents displaced people from being fined for having overgrown properties. The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) works to restore Louisiana’s costal wetlands. Due to a variety of natural and manmade processes the wetlands of Louisiana are rapidly disappearing. These wetlands are important during hurricanes because they can absorb much of the tidal surge that overtopped the levees. Volunteers with the NWS work to remove harmful invasive species, replant native vegetation, and provide resting places for indigenous birds. Neighborhood Housing Services of New Orleans (NHS) was founded to help move low and moderate income residents from rentals to homeownership. Post-Katrina NHS's focus has expanded to include development of a network of interconnected community centers offering a variety of social services including housing and homeownership counseling. Volunteers placed with NHS have worked on these volunteer centers and on resident’s homes. The New Orleans Food and Farm Network works to expand the accessibility of healthy and nutritious food throughout the city. Volunteers have worked with the Food and Farm Network on garden builds throughout the city. Volunteers have been placed in a many of New Orleans’ Public Schools, working both with students in classrooms and on facilities improvements. Volunteers have worked with the New Orleans Recreation Departments to build playgrounds and beautify public parks. The People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond is a 25-year-old national, multiracial, anti-racist collective of organizers and educators, is dedicated to building a movement for social transformation. All of the facilitators of the Race, Class, and Katrina dialogue have been trained by the People’s Institute. The People’s Institute also helped to create the Jubilee anti-racism trainings that are used throughout the denomination. Rebuilding
Together New Orleans Rebuilding Together New Orleans is a local
affiliate of a national nonprofit organization – Rebuilding Together – which
repairs and restores homes of those in need. With all work done at no cost
to the homeowner, primarily using volunteer labor and relying on donated
goods, Rebuilding Together allows low-income families to return home. Welfare Rights Organization seeks to link locally disrupted and internally displaced persons who are survivors of Katrina and Rita with needed services and resources to help them return home and/or improve their situations. Recent volunteers have been preparing a double shotgun house to be used as transitional housing by families seeking to rebuild, but that are unable to stay in their homes while they are being rebuilt. Zion Travelers Cooperative Center is a community initiative in Phoenix, Plaquemines Parish, an area almost completely neglected since the hurricane. They have organized a community relief distribution center for Phoenix and surrounding communities, and are organizing a community tool and equipment loan center. Their cooperative brings the community together to solve problems and provide information and access to services. Volunteers have connected through the Zion Cooperative to work on residents’ homes in Phoenix.
Workplace Safety Not all volunteers will be gutting or rebuilding houses, but those of you who will should follow these safety guidelines. The most effective ways to avoid a worksite injury are to be prepared with proper clothing and safety equipment and to be aware of your actions and your environment. Following these simple rules should ensure an incident free work experience:
oWear
substantial shoes, preferably work boots.
Look out for sharp objects sticking up on the ground.
oHave
a cap with a brim to shield you from the sun.
oWear
long pants to avoid minor cuts on your legs.
oIf
you do get any scratches have a first aid kit handy, clean the cuts right
away using an antibacterial treatment.
oMake
sure you have a generous radius if you are swinging a hammer or bringing
down a ceiling.
oTwo
people to a ladder. (One steadying the ladder, while one is on the ladder)
oWear
heavy gloves to avoid scrapes and blisters.
oBring
water to your worksite. Check
to make sure water at your worksite is safe to drink.
oTake
many breaks. If you start to
feel tired grab some water and take a breather.
oBe
conscious of everything that is going on around you.
oIf
you have been given extra safety equipment, please use it.
This especially applies to masks, safety goggles and respirators.
oBe
careful around exposed wiring and downed power lines.
If you are not 100% sure that they are dead wires than don’t touch
them.
oWatch
out for animals that may have taken up residence in abandoned homes.
Though rare, there have been poisonous snake and spider sightings.
o
Leaders should always have medical forms.
Frequently Asked
Questions How do we pick
the organizations that we partner with? We have connected with partner organizations through various avenues. Many are organizations that the UUA and UUSC funded through the Gulf Coast Relief Fund immediately after Katrina. Others are organizations that have come to our attention through their reputation for getting things done, and for providing particularly effective and productive volunteer opportunities. How does the
placement process work and what work will the volunteers be doing? We try to base volunteer placements on the strengths of each group. Volunteer coordinators look at the skills listed on each group’s registration forms. It is very important for the volunteers to complete the program forms, describing any particular skills or interests that they may have, well in advance of their trip, in order to allow our volunteer coordinators to make the most appropriate volunteer assignments. Please, if you have not already done so turn in the group registration form as soon as possible! Having knowledge of each group’s abilities allows the coordinators to better communicate to our partner organizations what skills you have to offer. Partners can then decide what type of projects are appropriate. If necessary, our volunteer coordinators will communicate with the group leaders to gain additional insight. The nature of our work with our community partners and the evolving situation in New Orleans means that we often will not be assigning work until close to the time of your arrival. We kindly ask that all volunteers be patient about their work assignment. We cannot emphasize enough that our goal as volunteers is to meet the needs identified by partner organizations and the communities in which we work. What is a
typical work day? Most work hours are around 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM. During very hot weather work may begin and end earlier. Groups may be assigned to the same or different tasks in the course of a day or a week. Plan to pack a lunch and water every workday. What is the
Dialogue on Race, Class, and Katrina
and why do we do it? It is necessary to have an understanding of the roles that race and class play in order to properly comprehend the failure of the federal levee system, and the forces that are affecting New Orleans’ recovery. Our way of educating volunteers about these issues is the Dialogue on Race, Class, and Katrina. The facilitators are long time New Orleanians who have gone through training with our partner organization, The People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond and in some instances, the UU Jubilee anti-racism trainings. Why doesn’t the
volunteer center provide food? There are a few reasons that we have chosen to have volunteer groups organize their own food for their stay. First of all, it allows us to provide lodging at a much lower cost. Second, we don’t have the staff to provide meals for volunteers every day. We do provide dinner for the evening of the Race, Class and Katrina Dialogue. Groups have given a lot of positive feedback about the community building experience that organizing their own meals provides. Planning menus, cooking and cleaning up provides an avenue for group members to bond. Some groups designate particular members of their groups to be shoppers and cooks. One of our hopes is that members of groups will feel a connection not only with New Orleans, but also with each other. Are we required to do work around the church? Due in large part to the efforts of volunteers, the church is back to a functional level. As you will see, it is by no means a finished product, and it is important to remember that the church was flooded. With this in mind, we ask that every group do a project around the church. It is our intention that these projects do not take time away from the work that groups are doing in the community; we usually encourage groups to tackle projects around the church on Sunday or during the early evening. This work is not mandatory, but it is greatly appreciated. However, no work is to start without the permission of the on site Gulf Coast Response Coordinator.
Medical
facilities Nearby hospitals with 24 hour emergency rooms: Alton Ochsner Foundation Hospital 1514 Jefferson Highway New Orleans 504-842-3000, www.ochsner.org Take S. Claiborne Ave. west for three miles. S. Claiborne turns into Jefferson Highway. Touro Infirmary Hospital 1401 Foucher St. New Orleans 504-897-7011, www.touro.com Take S. Claiborne Ave. east. At the second traffic light turn right on Louisiana Ave. Continue on Louisiana for just over a mile until reaching Prytania St. Turn right on Prytania and follow signs to the hospital. We have a complete list of hospitals in the area posted at the Center.
Pharmacies Walgreen’s 4400 S. Claiborne Ave, (at
Napoleon) (504) 891-0359 or 1801 St. Charles Avenue (at Felicity) (504) 561-8331 Pharmacy (504) 561-8458 Open 24 hours Rite Aid 7133 St. Charles Avenue at Broadway (504) 861-3638 Castellon Pharmacy 8232 Oak St. (S. Claiborne to Carrollton Ave., turn left, then right on Oak St.) (504) 866-3784
Area Grocery
Stores Winn Dixie 5400 Tchoupitoulas St, New Orleans, LA (504) 895-2966 Rouse’s 4500 Tchoupitoulas St.
(at Napoleon) 504.896.7910 Whole Foods Market 5600 Magazine St.
(504) 899-9119, www.wholefoods.com Store hours: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday–Saturday 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday Broadmoor Farmer’s Market (seasonal) 3 to 6 p.m. Thursday Across S. Claiborne Ave. and one block over from FUUNO Crescent City Farmers Market 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday, Broadway Avenue side of Uptown Square (closest to church) 8 a.m. to noon Saturday at Magazine and Girord streets www.crescentcityfarmersmarket.org
Shopping and
Restaurants The closest shopping districts are Magazine Street, the university areas and the Riverbend/Carrollton area. If you drive down Jefferson Ave. toward the river for about a mile, you’ll get to Magazine St., a long street filled with antique and vintage clothing stores, restaurants and po-boy spots, coffee shops and art galleries. You can go in either direction to find lots of fun things to do. For a full list, visit www.magazinestreet.com. For an article on Magazine Street since Katrina, visit http://travelagewest.com/articles.aspx?article=5111. If you drive down Jefferson toward the river and take a right at St. Charles Avenue (before Magazine), you’ll pass Tulane and Loyola universities, which have student unions and lecture halls on their campuses. At Broadway, turn right and then take your second left on to Maple street to find restaurants, bars, coffee shops, and a wonderful bookstore named Maple Street Books. (If you continue down Broadway, you’ll end up at Claiborne Avenue where, if you take a right, you’ll be back at the church.) If you drive down Jefferson, turn right on to St. Charles Avenue and continue past Broadway, you’ll hit the Riverbend area when the Mississippi River (which runs parallel to St. Charles) literally bends and St. Charles becomes Carrollton Avenue (you’ll actually turn right at this point). On Carrollton Avenue you’ll find restaurants, banks, coffee shops, clothing stores and more. On Oak Street, on the left side of Carrollton at a traffic light about a mile up from St. Charles, are more nightclubs and restaurants, some acclaimed, some famous.
Music Hotspots For a list of open clubs, visit http://neworleansonline.com. For a weekly listing of bands and nightclubs, pick up Gambit New Orleans, a free weekly found most everywhere, or Lagniappe, the Friday entertainment section of The Times-Picayune (See “Cultcha” below on how to pronounce that). A monthly magazine dedicated to New Orleans music, also free on the streets, is Offbeat, and it’s on the Web at www.offbeat.com. Also, feel free to ask the volunteer center staff for ideas of things to do at night.
Climate South Louisiana is a coastal climate and elevated humidity is almost constant. The winters are short and mild and the spring and fall delightful. The summer, unfortunately, can sometimes be a long steamy hot four to six months. This is the kind of humidity where you take a shower, emerge and get wet all over again. Rainfall hits about 60 inches a year for New Orleans. Hard rainstorms can deliver several inches within a few hours! Summertime means daily thunderstorms off the Gulf. Wait 20 minutes and they are usually gone and the sun reappears. Be sure and carry umbrellas with you everywhere. If lightning happens (and it should), take cover, but not under a tree. If you’re working in the summer, please take precautions. Try to work early and late afternoons-evenings to avoid the hot part of the day. Drink lots of water, since you will sweat a lot in the excessive humidity. Watch out for sunstroke; wear appropriate hats and clothes to keep cool and the sun off your face. If you’re working in the winter, chances are it will be damp and cool, occasionally reaching down to freezing and below. Wear clothes in layers. It’s not unusual for winter weather to be spring-like in the morning and close to snow in the afternoon. Cold fronts move in fast and bring drastic temperature changes, and sometimes violent weather. Get used to those beeping noises on your TV that the weather service issues. Spring and fall are the best times to visit New Orleans. However, drastic temperature changes can still occur, as well as stormy weather. It’s best to bring all kinds of clothes, wear them in layers and adjust accordingly.
Sightseeing Tourism was the huge industry in New Orleans before Hurricane Katrina. Now, local businesses and restaurants are suffering from the decrease in visitors. Visiting local landmarks and tourist attractions is actually a form of recovery assistance, so be sure and see why New Orleans was once described as “America’s Most Interesting City.” For a list of open tourist sites, visit http://neworleansonline.com.
Our “Cultcha” We talk funny down here and it’s not what you typically see on TV and in the movies. Those sultry, thick Southern accents really belong in places like Mississippi, Atlanta and Virginia. Some New Orleanians have what we call a “Yat” accent, which sounds more like Brooklyn than Baton Rouge. No one really knows why people here sound like they do in New York, but some suggest it may be because the same groups of immigrants that came through New York also came through New Orleans. From 1890 to around 1950, for instance, the largest group of immigrants that came to New Orleans was from Sicily (one of the reasons we have such amazing Italian food). Some words and expressions you’ll hear only here in New Orleans are:
·
Neutral Ground – The medians here are called
neutral grounds because when the Americans took over Louisiana in 1803, the
citizens of French and Spanish descent didn’t want them living with them in
the French Quarter. The Americans settled upriver of the old town, on the
opposite side of Canal Street. The median down the center of Canal was
called the “neutral ground” because that was where the two opposing cultures
met.
·
Making Groceries – We say this because it is
the literal English translation from the French “faire son marche,” meaning
to buy one’s groceries.
·
Yeah Ya Right – Means cool, OK, I hear ya.
·
New Orleans – It’s pronounced New Or-lee-ans
or New Awlans, NOT New Orleens or
N’awlins.
·
Po-Boys – New Orleans’ signature sandwich.
For you Yankees, it’s pretty much a submarine sandwich or hoagie, except
it’s much better! Here, you’ll find fried shrimp, roast beef dripping in
gravy and fresh fried oysters inside real French bread, among many other
wonderful items. It’s called a po-boy because it was created during a
streetcar strike many years ago and advertised for those not having much
money.
·
Dressed – If you want lettuce and tomato on
your po-boy, you want it “dressed.” Usually natives will ask, “You want that
dressed, dawlin’?”
·
Muffaletta – Another signature sandwich of
New Orleans, this one invented by our Italian population and features slices
of Italian meats topped with a special olive salad and served on round
Italian bread. Central Grocery in the French Quarter is known as the
originator of this delectable sandwich and they are always delicious in this
ethnic grocery store. Best eaten with a Barq’s root beer or a local beer.
·
Lagniappe – This literally means “a little
something extra.” When shopping, a merchant might put lagniappe in your bag
or the baker might toss in an extra doughnut to the dozen. It’s pronounced
“lan (rhymes with ran) -yap.” In Cajun country, where they know French
better than we do, they pronounce it “lan (rhymes with Don) -yap.”
·
As for our French streets, we say those
rather oddly as well. Burgundy is pronounced “Bur-GUN-dee” and Esplanade
rhymes with lemonade. Hey, it’s been a long time since the French were here.
·
Ask one of the center coordinators to tell
you the story of Red Beans and Rice.
Natives New Orleans residents have lost a huge piece of their lives. In addition to their possessions, homes and neighborhoods, their city is in ruins in so many areas. They love to tell their “storm stories” and they love to see tourists and volunteers visiting. Don’t be shy. Say hello, tell them where you’re from and why you’re here. It will make their day. Don’t be surprised if you get hugged. Please don’t, however, take pictures of people without their permission. If you are taking pictures of people’s homes try not to shoot anything such as the house number that makes it identifiable.
Evacuations Because of the fragile nature of New Orleans, the city will declare mandatory evacuations if hurricanes are approaching Louisiana. Be prepared to leave the city should this occur, especially if you are coming during hurricane season, June-November. The Unitarian Church of Baton Rouge will help with your evacuation, but please bring bedding, water and food with you. You should: 1. Travel by car, when possible so that you can evacuate easily and independently. Be sure to gas up early and leave with a full tank.
2.
Bring all of your items with you. This
includes clothes, bedding, personal items, medication and perishables. If
New Orleans remains closed for an extended period of time, you may need to
fly out of Baton Rouge or another nearby city (should the evacuation head in
another direction). 3. Bring a first aid kit if you have one with you. This does not mean that you will be expected to perform medical duties in the shelter, but rather that you would be capable of handling small problems that you or your friends may encounter. 4. Bring all of your bottled water with you. Store it in sealed, unbreakable containers. 5. Bring all of your food with you. A supply of non-perishable packaged or canned food is best. If you are buying items before evacuating, select foods that require no refrigeration and little or no water. For example, energy bars, ready-to-eat soup, peanut butter, etc. 6. Bring a battery-operated radio if you have one with you. Pick up extra batteries. 7. Bring personal items such as toilet paper, towelettes, tampons/pads, hand sanitizer and personal hygiene items such as toothbrush, etc. 8. Carry cash. ATM cards might not won't work if the power is out, so retrieve cash early. 9. Carry contact information. Carry a current list of family phone numbers and email addresses. You may not be able to charge your cell phone, so be sure to have a hard copy of numbers of important friends and family. 10. Bring a map. Of at least the state — consider marking an evacuation route on it. For New Orleans’ recommended evacuation route, go to http://www.ohsep.louisiana.gov//evacinfo/no_contraflow.htm
Contact
Information If you have already scheduled your trip please contact the Director of the New Orleans Rebirth Volunteer Center, Quo Vadis Breaux: Quo Vadis
Breaux (504)-866-4170 qvbreaux@yahoo.com
"Love is the s
pirit of this church and service is its law" |
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