FINAL WRAPUP

FRIENDLY NEIGHBORS:

New Orleans said the city had August 2015, reduced homelessness by 85 percent from a post-Hurricane Katrina high in 2007, when 11,619 people in Orleans and Jefferson parishes lived on the streets, in abandoned buildings or in shelters. That number now is even less than before Katrina: 1,703, compared to 2,051.

However, overall, New Orleans' per capita rate of homelessness remains higher than that of most large cities. In 2014, 46.9 out of every 10,000 people in the city were homeless. A great number of these are youth 18 and older who have aged out of foster care and others who are left homeless by financial hardships, overcrowding, abuse, or other circumstances.

This is where friendly neighbors came together. Habitat partnered with Covenant House to build six duplex homes that can be rented by such youth. Covenant House will help the residents by providing this housing at a low-cost and offering job training, health services, behavioral health services, life skills education, and other social services support serve as a stepping stone on the path to independence and stability.

The houses are built by Habitat, but Covenant House will take ownership and act as the landlord. Youth who age out of foster care but still don’t have a permanent housing situation are the most likely candidates for this program.

DAVIS HOUSE IN GARDEN DISTRICT

“It’s inspiring to work with Covenant House,” said Jim Pate. CEO New Orleans Habitat. “We’re honored to be partnering with such an amazing group to help them expand their already considerable impact.”

A third neighbor partner in the work being done to alleviate homeless in New Orleans is the church based organization, RHINO, Rebuilding Hope in New Orleans. 







This group organizes volunteers arriving in the city and was support for Paterson Habitat in arranging accommodations, breakfast and lunches, plus one evening, hosting our team for a dinner in the gorgeous Garden District 1860 home of a RHINO board member.

           Thank you to all !!

AND ON THE THIRD DAY . . .

On our third and last day, we added one more volunteer to the group. A friend's daughter, living in New Orleans for the past four years was keen to work with a Habitat Build and we were glad to have an additional person. Another young energies gal.

Although we quit an hour early today, we felt that we have given a great deal, even more finished than was expected.  Accomplishments:

Trim installed through both units, caulked, sanded, and painted two coats.

Interior doors painted two coats.

Door frames on 4 exterior doors, caulked, sanded, and painted.

Exterior doors painted.

Holes dug, posts set up and 2 pads built for air conditioning units.

Both pairs of front steps sanded clean and ready for staining.

Trough dug (tough work) for sidewalk's concrete ... Due for pouring next week.

Clean up of front yard of neighboring abandoned house.

And major project: insulation blown from attic crawl space into wall spaces.  ( see below )

SUITED UP AND BLOWING INSULATION ...

MORE ON THE SITE TODAY:

TAKING A BREAK...

FINAL GROUP SHOT...

We leave with the satisfaction of a job "well done."

               Paterson Habitat people, " YOU DID GREAT."

A SECOND PRODUCTIVE DAY

The weather continues to favor us with temps in the 70s. Real tee shirt days.

We are told that by day's end tomorrow, this house will be virtually complete. Prep and painting of the trim continued, one additional bedroom had its trim measured, cut and installed. Oh, and we dug some more, squaring the sidewalk trough and digging post holes for two platforms for the two air conditioning units.

In addition to work, remember that we are in the "Big Easy" and tonight's entertainment was to be a visit to the renowned Preservation Hall for some real New Orleans Jazz. However after dinner at the ""Gumbo", the line for the 9pm show was looking at 45 minutes before showtime. After the dat on the worksite, no one wanted to que up and stand. So off to Cafe du Monde instead.

Here are photos around the site today:

Below, three of the team, best friends since their years at college in the same sorority Omega Phi Beta, at Queens College. Their first time in New Orleans. What a fun and satisfying time for them.

MISTLETOE STREET

In the Hollygrove section of New Orleans, on a street named Mistletoe, was where we found our project house for this Build. It has been newly constructed and we are doing the finishing touches.

These included caulking, painting, baseboard trim installation, and some nasty digging for the sidewalk in front of the house. Thirteen volunteers from the Paterson Habitat affiliate assemble on the steps and front deck.

What follows are some views from Day 1.

BACK TO THE GULF COAST

2016 marks the tenth year of Paterson Habitat's building efforts on the Gulf Coast. The team is excited to be going back, with flights south this Wednesday.

     But first, it is FAT TUESDAY.

          Today ... Mardi Gras.

               Tomorrow ... New Orleans!

A great little place in Orange, NJ, the Hat City Kitchen had a celebration. Some of us from the team were there along with other of the Paterson Habitat regulars. It was: music, beads, masks, and Cajun food, getting in the mood for the Big Easy.

All the above from our Fat Tuesday evening. But, don't be mislead by the frivolity. We will be there in New Orleans to work. To give a "hand up" to a deserving family and help them into a safe new home. Our team is from Paterson Habitat and we like working on new construction. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.