AB OUT NEW ORLEANS

New Orleans, known as “The Big Easy,” is a city that knows how to let the good times roll. This colorful, vibrant community boasts some of the greatest entertainment and finest cuisine in the country – if not the world – with influences from Cajun, Creole and French cultures among many others. The unique culture of New Orleans is revealed in the likes of jambalaya, gumbo, beignets and cafe au lait, jazz, blues, Spanish moss, street cars, and parades. The people of New Orleans know how to do community and they know how to celebrate – even funerals become parties in NOLA! But its location on the Gulf of Mexico with much of the city sitting below sea level makes New Orleans especially vulnerable to damage from hurricanes. When Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005, the city was damaged by the initial storm and devastated by the flood that followed when the Mississippi River levees broke. But this city and its people have been remarkably resilient with many returning to rebuild after the storm — those who did have been joined by others wanting to be part of the rebirth of this city, and New Orleans has come back to life in a beautiful way. The city continues to struggle with poverty, homelessness, high crime rates, under-resourced schools, and high rates of depression.

SERVING IN NEW ORLEANS

• Partner with local organizations to meet ongoing needs in the community. • During the week, students may serve all or part of the week at a food shelf, clothing distribution center, soup kitchen, children’s program, or elderly care facilities.

COMMUNITY EXPERIENCE

With much of the relief and recovery work from Hurricane Katrina complete in New Orleans, we have largely turned our attention to caring for the people of the city. Our desire is to help bring hope and restoration to their everyday lives and to meet the very real needs expressed by our friends in the community. A big part of this includes partnering with children’s programs in the community as well as serving seniors and adults with special needs. In the evenings, you and your group will have the chance to experience even more of New Orleans’ culture, history and people as you explore the French Quarter, tour the Lower 9th Ward, attend a local church service and participate in a community cookout.

YOUTHWORKS RELATIONSHIP

YouthWorks has had a consistent presence in New Orleans since 2001, years before Katrina hit. We’ve seen this city in the best of times and the hardest of times and have continued partnerships with many of our service organizations both before and after the storm. In the summers immediately following the hurricane we had the opportunity to continue some of our regular partnerships while also serving with relief organizations. In more recent summers, we’ve moved from “recovery mode” and are seeking to meet the everyday needs of this community. We began our current housing partnership in 2008 and are grateful for the wonderful friendships we have at our host church. Questions: Contact Katie or Lew at [email protected] or [email protected]