Center for Ethical Living and Social Justice Renewal

The New Orleans Rebirth Volunteer Program allows volunteers from across the country and beyond to stand in solidarity with the people of the Gulf Coast for a just and equitable recovery. The Volunteer Program grew out of the Hurricane Relief and Social Justice project of the Unitarian Church of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, which was created to respond to the great need of the region in the immediate aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The project transitioned to become the UUA-UUSC Gulf Coast Volunteer Program in April, 2007. It is now a program of the Center for Ethical Living and Social Justice Renewal, a secular project of the three local churches in the New Orleans area. Working with community partners, the program connects volunteers with opportunities to address the needs of those affected by Katrina in New Orleans. 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 to the need for continued assistance and recovery of the Gulf Coast. These are: An initial orientation, which includes the history of Hurricane Katrina, the geography of
the city, and the current state of rebuilding in New Orleans. Also included are an overview of work safety
issues, and rules and procedures for the volunteer program. An opportunity to take a self-guided driving tour of the flood-impacted areas of New Orleans. A dialogue on New Orleans Now: Race, Culture and Rebuilding, which facilitates a discussion of the inequalities
in the region’s rebuilding and recovery process. There are two debriefings facilitated by the volunteer coordinators, one immediately after the first day of work and another the evening before the last day of work. Volunteers participate in a variety of projects with the program’s community partners. These range from rebuilding houses to helping to plant school gardens. Volunteers are asked to evaluate both the dialogue and their overall experience.