New Orleans Habitat - Operation Home Delivery Blog

NOAHH and Folgers Start Home in St. Bernard

NOAHH and Folgers Coffee Company raised the walls of a brand new home for Nichole Castello and her family on Wednesday in St. Bernard.  This is the second home sponsored by Folgers.  The first home was built in 2007 on the Westbank in Harvey.

Employees of Folgers received aide from around the world through their Employee Relief Fund. For every donation that went to an affected employee, the company matched the amount in the fund. The fund set aside the matching amount for the employees to distribute to their choice of local non-profits. In their generosity, the employees chose to give NOAHH $150,000 from the fund to build houses in the New Orleans area.

Castello, a lifelong resident of New Orleans, works as a special education teaching assistant.  “My daughter and I have moved 6 times post Katrina and are very excited to become partners with Habitat for Humanity,” stated Nichole Castello, Habitat Partner Family.  “We are very thankful for this opportunity to become homeowners in such a wonderful community.”

Also on site were volunteers from the U.S. Navy and Chik-Fil-A, including their famous “Eat More Chicken” cow mascot. 

NOAHH Commemorates the 4th Anniversary of Katrina With Its 300th Wall Raising

            On Saturday, August 29^th, NOAHH commemorated the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina by raising the walls on the 300^th post-Katrina home which will go to Clorestine Haney and her family. 

Haney was born and raised in New Orleans, but was forced to evacuate to Baton Rouge. She returned to New Orleans to get back to her roots, and she now works as a security officer for the Superdome and New Orleans Arena.

            Post-Katrina, New Orleans Area Habitat has continued to make the eradication of poverty housing an issue and mission by building homes for low-income families with over 250 homes completed, which equates to stability for over 635 individuals who now have a place to call their own.

            The 300^th home is sponsored by the Fund for Humanity, which is funded by the mortgage payments that current Habitat homeowners make on their homes.  These funds are restricted to home building.

The most notable of our building areas, the Musicians’ Village, is over nearly complete--only one home remains to be finished.  Currently 71 families are living in the Village.  The Ellis Marsalis Music Center and toddler-friendly pocket park are scheduled to begin shortly. The Village is the largest project the affiliate has ever undertaken, and over 100,000 volunteers have helped make it and other homes in the New Orleans area possible.

            In St. Bernard Parish, NOAHH has completed 46 homes for families displaced by Hurricane Katrina.  Additionally, over 25 homes have been built in Jefferson Parish with a concentration on the Westbank, though the majority of the homes built by NOAHH since the storm continue to be concentrated in the Upper Ninth Ward.

            As New Orleans Habitat commemorates the fourth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, we take stock in our successes since August 29, 2005:

• New Orleans Habitat has welcomed over 100,000 volunteers.

• New Orleans Habitat began construction on the 300^th home post-Katrina.

• Over 250 families have received homes – average number of homes built annually pre-Katrina was 10-12.

• In 2007, New Orleans Habitat is the largest homebuilder in Orleans Parish pulling 9.4% of all single family residential new construction building permits (105 pulled out of total 1113) in 2007.  In 2006, New Orleans Habitat pulled 12% of new construction building permits (60 of 513).

• The 72-family Musicians’ Village neighborhood is over 98% complete including four blocks of new roads.

• NOAHH partner with Idea Village to renovate a local pharmacy to serve as the Entergy Innovation Center to provide business services along with retail space for residents of the Uper Ninth Ward.

• New Orleans Habitat has partnered with community projects, neighborhood groups and faith-based organizations to assist in rebuilding communities across our affiliate area.

• New Orleans Habitat has expanded its active construction areas to include St. Bernard, Jefferson and Plaquemines Parishes.

“In our 26 years in New Orleans, we never expected such a tremendous increase in support from our volunteers and donors following Katrina; it was overwhelming.  It’s truly inspiring to see the generosity the world has offered.  The lessons of Hurricane Katrina stay with us as we move forward with our mission,” said Jim Pate, executive director of NOAHH.  “It’s not likely that the area will ever be caught off guard or respond in the manner it did if another storm were to make landfall here.”

 

New York Pet Masquerade to Benefit NOAHH

Global Garden will be hosting a free “Mardi Paw Pet Masquerade” Party in Central Park in New York City on the lawn between W. 86^th and W. 90^th this Saturday, August 29, 2009, from 1 to 4 p.m. to celebrate the largest pet rescue in U.S. history. The public is invited to dress up their pets (and themselves) in Mardi Gras costumes and come out on the fourth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.

The event will feature an art auction where guests can bid on two 30 minute readings from pet psychic Catherine Ferguson, a portrait of their pets by pet portrait artist Alexis Trice, original sculptures from recycled metal artist Frank Malanga, and one week’s pet vacation at the Pet Camp. All proceeds will go to NOAHH. Music will be provided by National Recording Artists Chris Temple and Jesse Lege and his band. For more information, visit their website here. 

Anne Rice's Vampire Lestat Fan Club to Hold Benefit Auction for NOAHH

For the fourth year in a row, Anne Rice’s Vampire Lestat Fan Club will be holding a silent auction and book raffle at their annual Tru Blood and Gold Ball to benefit NOAHH. On Friday, October 30, the Tru Blood and Gold Ball will be held at Republic New Orleans at 828 S. Peter St. In attendance will be Charlaine Harris, author of the Sookie Stackhouse Southern Vampire series (on which HBO’s True Blood is based), and items for auction will include a Blue Dog print signed by George Rodrigue (“We Are Marching Again”), a Michalopoulas signed Cemetary print, an original painting from writer Kimberly Adkins, and a special bottle of Vampire wine with wine glasses.

The fan club will also be holding an absinthe and wine tasting on Thursday, October 29, at Montreal’s Bistro at 1000 S. Peters St. The proceeds from ticket sales to this event will also benefit NOAHH.

2009 Miss National US Scholarship Pageant Partners With NOAHH

The 2009 Miss National US Scholarship Pageant (MNUS) will hold its 1st Annual Scholarship Pageant from August 20-21, 2009 in New Orleans. On Thursday, August 20, the contestants and MNUS staff will participate in a build on the West Bank with NOAHH. 

“One of the main philosophies of the MNUS Organization is to encourage its delegates to give back to the communities that have already given them so much. We see that New Orleans is still and will forever be affected by Hurricane Katrina and we as an organization want to help in any way we can in rebuilding this city one day and one brick at a time,” said Brittney Dimes, Vice President & Executive Director of MNUS. The contestant volunteers will be easy to spot; each wearing "CAUTION: Beauty Queens at Work" t-shirts.  

On Friday, August 21, the 1^st Annual Miss National US 2009 Scholarship Pageant will take place at the Le Petit Theatre. 

Alabama, Arizona, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island and Texas are represented by contestants. Tickets are $35 each and are being sold online via The Miss National US Scholarship Website. Ten Percent of each ticket sold will be donated to New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity. The pageant will also be streamed over the internet via Nifty TV Online Television.

New Book to Benefit NOAHH

A storm is brewing in New Orleans! Kenny and Allison love their tree house. They built it themselves, and protect it from grownups and imagined monsters. But there is one monster they have never encountered before: Hurricane Betsy.  This 40 page hardcover children’s book touches on themes of loss, renewal, and resiliency during a natural disaster. The author, Rachelle Burk, grew up in New Orleans. A free Teacher’s Guide and fun activities are available on the publisher’s and author’s websites.

The sale of this book via the following link will benefit the New Orleans Habitat for Humanity when you purchase through this link.  

"The Rope in Your Hands" Benefits Musicians' Village

Actress Siobhan O'Loughlin presents a special show commemorating the 4th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, The Rope in Your Hands, a one woman show based on interviews with survivors of the storm. All proceeds from the show will go to New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity's Musicians' Village. 

The show will be held at the Chesapeake Arts Center in Brooklyn Park, MD, on August 29, 2009. For tickets, call 410-636-6597 or visit this site. To download a flyer of the event, click here: Download RopeInYourHands09Poster8.5x11

New Home Dedicated in Kenner

On Saturday, August 8, Nicole Hymel realized a life long dream of owning her own home in partnership with NOAHH and Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau.  Nicole Hymel is 26 years old and was born with spina bifida, which has left her paralyzed from the waist down. She has undergone over fifty surgeries due to her disability and she uses a wheelchair for mobility.  She works for Jefferson Parish Human Services Authority as a receptionist and is active in her local church.

Nicole’s home is sponsored by Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau in partnership with three associations:  American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, National School Boards Association and Society of Thoracic Surgeons – all whom relocated their events to Chicago in 2006 following Hurricane Katrina. 

Within a week of Hurricane Katrina, the Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau reached out to the General Managers of more than 60 Chicago hotels asking for their participation in a $10/room/night rebate program and within 24 hours of the request, more than 50 hotels agreed to participate.  In the end, a total of 66 hotels participated. Chicago’s hotel community raised $860,000 for their industry colleagues in New Orleans as a result of the hotel rebate program.  After much deliberation, all parties decided that the funds would be distributed evenly to the Lester E. Kabacoff School of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Administration at the University of New Orleans and New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity. 

“This opportunity to become a homeowner is truly amazing,” stated Nicole Hymel, NOAHH Partner Family.  “Because the small things some may take for granted, I've never known: like rolling into my own front door by myself or checking the mailbox by myself.  Being able to partner with Habitat has been and an honor and a pleasure.  It’s amazing to think that my own two hands had a part in making my dream come true,” added Nicole. 

 

Eni and NOAHH Dedicate Home in St. Roch

On Thursday, August 6, 2009, NOAHH joined with Eni Petroleum and volunteers to dedicate the home of Derron Myles on Mandeville St. in the St. Roch neighborhood. 

Myles is a sous chef and banquet supervisor for Loews Hotel New Orleans. “I’d like to thank New Orleans Habitat and Eni Petroleum for the opportunity to be a homeowner and helping rebuild our beautiful city of New Orleans,” said Myles. 

Eni is a major integrated energy company, committed to growth in the activities of finding, producing, transporting, transforming and marketing oil and gas.  On hand for the event was Eni’s President and CEO Luciano Vasques and Travis Norvell, pastor at St. Charles Avenue Baptist Church, as well as NOAHH staff and volunteers.

IncomeTrader.com Donates Perfect Profits to NOAHH

NOAHH received a generous donation from the subscribers and members of IncomeTrader.com, an online financial newsletter focused on educating investors on stock market principles, this week through a special program the newsletter offers called Perfecting Profits.

Their Perfecting Profits section allows subscribers to watch live trades from IncomeTrader.com’s personal trading account. By making the trades after market hours, they allow subscribers to follow along and learn from the experience. Each week, a new trade is selected and followed, and the profits from that trade go to a nonprofit chosen by the subscribers. This week, they chose NOAHH as the recipient of their efforts and sent us $2134.40!

Our thanks to the many people who made this possible!