Hurricane Isaac Relief: How You Can Help

Hurricane Isaac Path

With the threat of Hurricane Isaac past, we can breathe a sigh of relief. The damage wasn't as severe as Katrina, due to a weaker hurricane and stronger levees. But there are still plenty of people whose homes are destroyed, whose towns are flooded, and have no electricity in a humid summer climate.

We've reached out to our partners in New Orleans to find out what they need - and we hope you'll consider helping them.

• Lower 9th Ward Center for Sustainable Engagement & Development: Stimulating engagement and preserving resources
• Send gift cards to Wal-Mart to help needy families
• Donate online here
• Donate via check payable to: Lower 9th Ward CSED, 5130 Chartres Street, New Orleans, LA, 70117
• LA, 70112
• St. John #5 Baptist Church (Pastor Bruce Davenport): Helping low income families find community and faith
• Donate via check payable to: St. John #5 Baptist Church, 3613 Hamburg St., New Orleans, LA, 70122
• Beacon of Hope: Helping LaPlace residents
• Need donations of
• Storage containers (medium to large in size)
• Contractor bags
• Home Depot and/or Lowes gift cards
• Volunteer: contact Heather Huth
• Hhuth@beaconofhopenola.org
• (504) 309-5120
• Donate
• Online here
• Check payable to: Beacon of Hope Resource Center, 145 Robert E Lee Blvd. Suite 200, New Orleans, LA, 70124 (Att: Isaac Relief)
• Second Harvest Food Bank: Providing several hundred thousand pounds of food to families in need
• Need donations of
• Non-perishable food items (canned fruits and vegetables, peanut butter, soups, juices, water, etc)
• Cleaning supplies (bleach, disinfectant, hand sanitizer, mops, gloves, paper products)
• Send to: Second Harvest Food Bank warehouses 
• 700 Edwards Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70123
• 215 E. Pinhook, Lafayette, LA 70501
• Volunteer: contact them here
• Donate
• For ever $1 donated, Second Harvest Food Bank can provide the equivalent of $15.50 in grocery/food items
• Online here
• Call for more info: (504) 729-6322
• For more info, visit their page here
• ReNEW Schools: Helping lower-income families of students whose homes were damaged
• Donate online here
• Send gift cards to Wal-Mart or local grocery stores to help neediest families
• 3128 Constance Street, New Orleans, LA 70115
• (504) 367-3307
• Harry Tompson Center: Helping the homeless stay secure and cool
• Donate online here
• Donate via check payable to: Harry Tompson Center, 130 Baronne Street, New Orleans, 
• New Orleans City Parks: Clearing felled trees and restoring the park
• Volunteers very much needed
• Contact Steve Ryman, Volunteer Coordinator: sryman@nocp.org; (607) 237-6210
• Community Center of St. Bernard: Providing food, water, baby formula, cleaning supplies, and personal hygiene items to families in need in the St. Bernard parish
• Donate
• Online here
• Check payable to: Community Center of St Bernard, 1111 LeBeau St, Arabi, LA, 70032
• Host a fundraiser: contact Iray

And, as always, to travel and make a difference with your own hands, you can schedule a volunteer trip for your school, office, or congregation with us at Volunteer Expeditions.

For those of you who have traveled with us, we have updates on some of our other friends. Paul, our beloved bus driver with Pelican Bus, is just fine. He and his wife stayed in a hotel for a few days, and his house was undamaged. He caught a cold though. Mark Schleifstein of the New Orleans Times-Picayune is also safe, along with his family. They know several people who have lost their homes, though.

Please don't forget about your friends and countrymen in the Gulf Coast who were affected by this hurricane. For more information, check #nolahelp on Twitter. If you know of any other people or organizations in need of assistance, please leave the information in our comment section.

Hurricane Isaac on the Katrina Anniversary

As many are aware, today is the seventh anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. In the time since those devastating storms and floods, New Orleans has certainly made huge strides in recovery. Though it will always be a city divided - before Katrina and after Katrina - it is flourishing in a whole new way.

But as fate would have it, on this day of remembering, New Orleans and much of the Gulf Coast is under barrage from Hurricane Isaac. Our thoughts and prayers are with all those in the affected areas. Our founder and president, Patti Vile, releases this statement on this anniversary and new challenge:

"The brave citizens of New Orleans are again facing a hurricane to test their nerves, endurance, and their love of the city.

"In the seven years since Katrina, New Orleans has made some giant leaps and has addressed many issues while leaving other issues to be further considered and solved in time. The physical beauty of New Orleans has definitely returned. Immediately following Katrina, there was not a green space or blade of grass or trees or anything but the gray aftermath of the storm. Now New Orleans is green again, with new buildings and colorful homes and residents.

"While many families are struggling to regain some sense of a normal life after Katrina, we find them again today with new challenges from Hurricane Isaac. So many people do not have housing, and we are very concerned that this number is escalating as the day goes on.

"My wish for New Orleans is that they retain their spirit and their very unique culture. While no one can boast food and music like New Orleans-ians, the need to continue addressing poverty, crime, and issues of education is still pressing.

"Let's send New Orleans our prayers and best wishes on this anniversary and as they face this new challenge."

Just as New Orleans has taken big steps in recovering from Katrina, so too will they get through and flourish beyond Hurricane Isaac. And we will be there to help them do it.

To help those affected by the storm, please donate to the Lower 9th Ward Center for Sustainable Engagement and Development, St. John's #5 Church and Social Ministry, the Lower 9th Ward Village, or Second Harvest Food Bank - or consider taking your group on a volunteer trip to New Orleans with Volunteer Expeditions.