Rebuilding Together's October Initiative
http://www.nola.com/news/index.ssf/2009/09/post_33.html
Rebuilding group plans N.O. push in coming days
The Rebuilding Together New Orleans organization will stage one of its largest post-Katrina home repair efforts during the next two weeks, using hundreds of volunteers to refurbish 24 homes in New Orleans, leaders said Wednesday.
Organizers say the initiative this year is expected to attract 700 or more volunteers to seven neighborhoods: Mid-City, Hollygrove, Broadmoor, Gentilly, Esplanade Ridge/Treme, St. Roch and Holy Cross.
Repair and painting work will occur Friday and Saturday this week and next week.
Last year's October initiative repaired about 20 homes, employing 651 volunteers, spokeswoman Liana McGowan said.
Called Christmas in October in past years, the program targets elderly and disabled homeowners and is one effort of the local Preservation Resource Center. It is affiliated with the national Rebuilding Together nonprofit, which carries out repairs to nearly 10,000 homes a year with generous support from volunteers and corporate donors.
"We've been able to continue our work thanks to the generous sponsorship of companies across the U.S., but as we move farther away from Katrina we are hoping to re-engage the local volunteers who will be our base 10 to 15 years on," said Kristin Gisleson-Palmer, director of the local charitable repair program.
Sponsors of this year's local effort include the Junior League of New Orleans, 3rd District Kiwanis, Home Builders Institute, New Orleans Job Corps Center, Louisiana Peace Corps Association, Tulane University School of Public Health and several companies. For more details on how to volunteer, call Alyssa Provencio at 504.636.3076.