Volunteer Spotlight: First Presbyterian Church - Charlotte

St. Bernard Project - New York was excited to work with the First Presbyterian Church of Charlotte (FPCC) a few weeks ago. The North Carolina-based group – like many of our volunteer teams last month – came to us through the national VOAD Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA), a Friends of Rockaway partner. Per the PDA website, “Presbyterian Disaster Assistance enables congregations and mission partners of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A) to witness to the healing love of Christ through caring for communities adversely affected by crisis and catastrophic event.” SBP is grateful to PDA for its past service in our disaster-affected communities, and looks forward to continued collaboration with the group.

According to one FPCC volunteer, her team spent its day in the Rockaways as “general laborers -- we hauled bags of sand!” They were also able to tile a floor and complete some demolition work, much to the enjoyment of the group. Volunteers appreciated their experience with SBP because they “got to know the homeowners,” “get to finish the job,” and “like the feeling of helping repair places and things that people may have forgotten about.” Their favorite part of serving with FoR, however, was “the relationships you make with homeowners, staff, and other volunteers.”

Members of FPCC offered several pieces of advice to future volunteers. They stressed “staying flexible,” “showing up with an open heart,” and “no matter your skill level, participate!” as essential mindsets for volunteering. Most of all, they wanted to remind people that “disaster recovery still needs help!”  

Thanks for all your hard work, First Presbyterian Church of Charlotte -- we hope to see you out here in the Rockaways again soon!

Volunteer Spotlight: Rutgers University’s Student Volunteer Council

A couple weekends ago, SBP in New Jersey had the pleasure of welcoming Rutgers University’s (New Brunswick campus) Student Volunteer Council. Many of the students in the group grew up in New Jersey and many members of the Rutgers community was impacted by Hurricane Sandy, which helped influence their decision in volunteering with us. 

One of the volunteers explains how “Sandy Relief is one of [their] most popular and successful services because of the lasting memories of what Sandy did. Sea Bright was a perfect choice for [them] because it allowed [their] group to easily and effectively volunteer to make an impact on restoration.” Sixteen members came in early Saturday morning to complete task, such as putting up drywall and applying Spackle in one of the homes. 

Despite the weather being cold and windier than they expected it to be they worked hard throughout the day to get the job done with the help of their site supervisor, Koffi Ayi. “I think what made our volunteer experience so great was really our site leader. He was very determined to give our volunteers a meaningful experience, and was really a pleasure to be around,” says one of the student volunteers. 

Most of the members agreed that what made this experience unique was that their site leader truly allowed for them to get the most out of their experience. A piece of advice Rutgers University Student Volunteer Council has for future volunteers is to “plan out everything ahead and maybe research about what you will be doing.” 

Thanks for all your hard work Rutgers University Student Volunteer Council -- we hope to see you out here again soon!

Volunteer Spotlight: Mormon Helping Hands

This past month, SBP/Friends of Rockaway was pleased to work with members of the Mormon Helping Hands (MHH) group of Utah and California. Like many of our volunteer groups, MHH learned of SBP/FoR through word of mouth. Friends of theirs who had worked with FoR told them about the great service opportunities in Rockaway, so the members of MHH were excited to join our mission. As missionaries stationed in the New York area for the next few months, the volunteers are looking forward to helping rebuild their newly adopted community as they spread their spiritual message.

The Mormon Helping Hands team has tackled a number of construction jobs during its time in the Rockaways. According to group member Elder Tannen Bills, they have “tiled, painted, put in floors and siding, mudded, broken cement, hung drywall, and sanded!” Volunteers enjoyed working with SBP/FoR for its unique approach to the service experience. They lauded our organization for its “professional feel,” the “personal aspect that allows you to talk about what you’re actually doing,” and the fact that there is “always something to do!”

As for their favorite parts of the service opportunity, MHH volunteers appreciated that they got to “get down and dirty,” “work with [their] hands,” “help in general,” and “meet new people.” One group member added “sledgehammers are fun” and “causing [helpful] destruction” to the list of enjoyable volunteer activities. The team advises future volunteers to “bring water...and a spray bottle” and to “learn as much as you can -- mudding isn’t as hard as you think!”

Thanks so much for your hard work, Mormon Helping Hands -- we look forward to working with you all over the coming months!

Volunteer Spotlight: One Brick

The St. Bernard Project was grateful to have representatives from 10 One Brick chapters join us in service this past week. Volunteers traveled from all corners of the United States, representing California, Virginia, Texas, Washington, North Carolina, Minnesota, New York, Michigan, Massachusetts and Illinois.

One volunteer said, “One Brick has been coming to New Orleans since 2007 and we love working

with SBP. Your organization is helping people that have been through a tough experience and deserve to have a place to call home."

Volunteers got their hands dirty on site while cutting and installing baseboards, window trim and hardy board. They also did a ton of caulking and painting and helped to install doors and door knobs.They would give this advice to future volunteers, “Don’t be afraid if you do not have any construction experience – SBP is great at showing you what to do.  Have fun and truly embrace the experience.”

When asked what makes working with the St. Bernard Project special they responded, “Working with SBP is a unique experience because it has been 9 years since Katrina hit New Orleans and there are so many people that have been forgotten by most, but still need help.“

Volunteer Spotlight: Farmers Insurance Women’s Network

SBP in New Jersey recently had the pleasure of working with Farmers Insurance Women's Network. Farmers Insurance has been a partner to the St. Bernard Project for a long time and has been sending up to five of their employees every week to help with our rebuilding efforts in New Jersey. This dedication to service ties into one of Farmer’s core philanthropic pillars - community involvement.

Last week, the group brought 26 of their members from as far West as Chicago and as South as Virginia to help work on several homes in Monmouth County, New Jersey. They completed various construction tasks, including: hanging drywall; mudding; installing floors; installing window trim; painting; and the "dreaded sanding!" 

Many of the members mentioned how this experience allowed them to grow. They advise anyone reluctant to volunteer with us to "get out of their comfort zone” because working with SBP “does the soul good." These individuals put emphasis on taking the opportunity to give back any chance you can get. Volunteering with SBP in New Jersey was a unique experience for Farmers Insurance Women's Network because they felt as though they had "ownership in making a change." 

One of the members said, "People just want their names on a project. Here there was no micromanaging and were able to learn as we worked through our tasks." Through volunteering with SBP in New Jersey, Farmers Insurance members were able to be a presence in the community as examples of the importance of service.

Thanks for all your hard work Farmers Insurance Women’s Network -- we hope to see you out here in New Jersey again soon!

Volunteer Spotlight: Cayuga Presbytery- Syracuse & Young Adult Volunteers PC (USA) of Little Rock, AR

Both the Cayuga-Syracuse Presbytery: Southern Comfort Mission and Ministry Team of Syracuse, NY and the Young Adult Volunteers PC (USA) group of Little Rock, AR recently joined us for a week of service in the Rockaways. They served as ambassadors of the nationally-based Presbyterian Disaster Assistance group, whose volunteer village at the First Presbyterian Church of Jamaica (in Jamaica, Queens) has partnered with Friends of Rockaway and SBP. Members of both teams had previously volunteered in post-Katrina New Orleans, so they were excited to extend that service to the NYC region this past month.

During their time rebuilding, the groups engaged in various construction tasks, including sanding, painting, drywalling, and framing. The Southern Comfort Mission and Young Adult Volunteer teams agreed that the opportunity to serve was the best part of their volunteer experience. The highlight of the week, however, was their daily sharing of espresso and cookies with the homeowners, the Giuliano family. Group members had some important advice for future volunteers: “Be flexible, work with [the Site Supervisors] Don and Jeremiah, and do what Don says!”    

Thanks so much for your hard work, Cayuga-Syracuse Presbytery and Young Adult Volunteers -- we look forward to working with your groups again. Feel free to come back for the service and to stay for the espresso!

Volunteer Spot Light: Gladeville Baptist Church, Tennessee

Friends of Rockaway has recently had the pleasure of working with members of the Gladeville Baptist Church from Nashville, Tennessee. Congregants at the Glade Church have been volunteering in New Orleans, Louisiana since 2005; after eight years and 30+ mission trips spent restoring the NOLA community in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, members of the church heard about Superstorm Sandy and felt called by God to help rebuild NYC, too. They aligned themselves with a group they thought was well-equipped to bring families home, and thus have been serving with SBP/FoR over the past few months.

This October, the group worked on several homes in the Rockaways and completed various construction tasks, including: hanging drywall, cleaning, mudding, putting up insulation, “destroying a bathroom” and “sanding...times a million!” Some of the volunteers’ favorite parts of their service experience were “talking to homeowners,” “ripping the ceiling” and “destroying the bathroom!” Members of the Glade Church offered some helpful advice for future volunteers -- they suggest people “do it right the first time/follow instructions,” exercise “patience and flexibility,” and “hold their temper and stay energetic!”  

Thanks for all your hard work this past week, Glade Church -- we hope to see you out here in the Rockaways again soon!

Volunteer Spotlight: Ursuline Academy, Brazil

The St. Bernard Project recently welcomed eight international high school students to New Orleans. These students are traveling from Ilheus, Brazil, located on the South Atlantic shore. Their school, named Colegio Nossa Senhora da Piedade, is part of a larger association of Roman Catholic education institutions. With schools worldwide, Ursuline students are encouraged to be global citizens. We have been lucky enough to have other groups from Ursuline schools in London,and locally, join us in service during past years.

The students are touring major US cities, their last stop being St. Louis Missouri, where they served at an elementary school in an underserved community. There, they taught other youths about art and helped out with projects at the school. When deciding to spend time in Louisiana, trip organizers from the Brazil school reached out to their sister school here in NOLA looking for a place to conduct a service project. Sister Regina Marie (pictured far right), a previous staff member at the New Orleans Ursuline Academy is a long-time supporter of SBP and sent them our way.

This group of students and chaperones spent two days rebuilding Ms. Elaine’s Katrina damaged home. As this house is entering its final stages of construction, students performed a variety of tasks including: painting interior doors, trim and the exterior of the house. The students came to a mutual agreement that their favorite task on site was caulking, to which their site supervisor, Bridgett, praised them: “It took me two months to learn how to caulk properly, and these guys are practically pros on their first try!” she beamed.

When asked what they would tell future volunteers, a young woman spoke out saying, they should volunteer because it’s an incredible experience and continued to elaborate on the impact she feels helping somebody who lost their home. Another student simply said “rewarding” upon which everyone else agreed. Finally, a chaperone and mentor to the group left the group thinking when she said, “These people lost their homes, and you are giving it back to them with your time and service.” And when asked how it felt to do just this, the group responded saying, “It feels good.”

The students also spoke out passionately about SERVIAM, their school motto, which translates into “I will serve.” This goes to show that everyone, no matter how far from home they are, is hardwired to help.

Thanks for all your hard work Ursuline Academy -- we look forward to future trips!

To volunteer with the St. Bernard Project visit: http://www.stbernardproject.org/get-involved/volunteer/

Written by: Rachel Emerson

Many Faces of AmeriCorps: Meet Angela!

Angela Calabro - Malverne, NY - 26 - Site Supervisor with SBP

A little bit about Angela: 

Prior to her AmeriCorps term, Angela had been working in a specialized industry for several years and decided she wanted to explore different career options.  She felt that a year of service would be beneficial and allow her ton continue to be productive while having new experiences during this time of discovery and transition.  She grew up on Long Island but was not in the country when Sandy hit.  She wanted to get involved in a more substantial way than just occasional volunteering, which is why she chose to serve in the Rockaways.  

What accomplishments are you most proud of?

I have been the Site Supervisor on three homes to date, however my biggest accomplishment was the second.  We had several complications but I felt the general rebuild process went well and I was able to physically see how my role as Site Supervisor was critical in bringing the family home making all other issues seem unimportant.  

Talk about a time you felt very connected to the vision: 

I felt very connected to the mission when I first was in training.  Our Project Manager at the time did an excellent job of team building and supporting us while teaching the appropriate skills needed to work on houses.  He allowed us to feel like members of a larger support system that although not perfect would be there to allow us to be as productive and successful as possible.  

Why do you think service is important?

Service is important in order to realize the bigger picture of what is going on in neighborhoods we aren’t familiar with.  Service allows us to put our own lives in perspective and give back to communities that are in need.  We never know where our own paths may take us and although we hope to never need it, one day we may find ourselves in seeking a little assistance.  Service is also crucial to enabling school children who have not been exposed to different experiences and settings to be pushed far out of their comfort zone and continuously supported until they accomplish the task. 

What have you gained from serving in AmeriCorps?

AmeriCorps has shown me how there will always be new projects and tasks that seem daunting to learn i.e. rebuilding a house, however if broken down into smaller steps and practiced almost anything is possible to learn.  

Many Faces of AmeriCorps: Meet Mike!

Spotlight on: Mike Hamilton, 69 - Veteran, Retired Electrician – Electrician for SBP

Mike retired to Joplin to take care of his mother, but after the devastating tornadoes he saw the overwhelming need for his skill as an electrician.  Mike was also able to share his love of landscaping and gardening with our clients – putting the finishing touch on our clients’ homes.

Mike, why do you think Service is important? It’s important because people are important, ad if they are trying to recover then we should help.

What accomplishment are you most proud of?  Whenever I finish a house and it is turned over to the owners…but mostly when I finish a garden or landscape a yard and make it a home instead of a house.

You volunteered with Catholic Charities and Habitat for Humanity and served 2 terms with AmeriCorps.  What have you gained from serving others? A lifetime of memories and a sense of being a part of something important.

Many Faces of AmeriCorps: Meet Julie!

Spotlight on: Julie Balsamo, 23 - Teacher from Pittsburgh, PA - Site Supervisor for SBP

With a teaching degree, certified for grades 5-12, Julie put lesson plans on hold to serve with AmeriCorps to help the recovery effort in Staten Island, NY, one of many communities devastated by Superstorm Sandy.  As a Site Supervisor for St. Bernard Project, Julie was trained to learn construction skills over 6 weeks and then spent the next 8 months training volunteers to do everything from framing to hanging drywall to laying flooring.

Julie, why did you decide to serve with AmeriCorps? I wanted to go somewhere I have never lived and learn new skills before I settled down with a career.  My AmeriCorps term allowed me to live in NYC, learn construction and encounter people and perspectives from all over the country.

Talk about a time you felt very connected to the mission:  On one site where I worked, the homeowner came by nearly every day and worked alongside us. We got to know each other quite well, and I was so inspired by her dedication to get back to her home. I was no longer just working to build a house for someone I barely knew, I was working to get my friend and her family home.

Why do you think service is important? If we had not been there to work on these houses, it is likely they would not have been rebuilt any time soon. So many homeowners were victims of contractor fraud. Our service not only had an impact on homeowners and the surrounding communities, but also on the volunteers who were inspired by their own impact and that of volunteers who had come before them.  I have countless stories and takeaway moments that have shown me people’s incredible resilience and ability to give.

A 9th Anniversary Message from SBP's Co-Founders

Dear Friends,

During their Welcome Home party last month, Robert and Geraldine Starks stood on their front porch in utter disbelief.

Robert, a Vietnam veteran who stayed behind after the storm to help his neighbors evacuate, and Geraldine, celebrating a year of remission after a hard-fought battle with cancer, could not seem to fathom the fact that they were finally moving home. It had been nine years.  

Like 60% of SBP’s clients, the Starks turned their insurance payout over to a crooked contractor, and were left with nothing but a half-built home that they could not afford to complete on their own. Their limited income went to medical bills and paying their rent.

The Starks are one of 560 families who, thanks to the unwavering support of our donors and volunteers, once again sleep soundly in their own bed, knowing the peace and comfort that only comes from being home.

The couple wore matching “USA” t-shirts - a reminder that their citizenship, their humanity, once again meant something.

SBP was built on the belief that all of us are hardwired to prevent harm, solve problems and help others. Every day you remind us that this is true - that despite all the destruction from Katrina and wrongs that were done in the aftermath, there are still people who stand by, ready to help.

And we still need your help. We need your help because it has been nine years and there are over 100 families on our waiting list. And we need your help because we receive a minimum of 15 new calls every single week from families seeking assistance. The average age of the person calling is 63 years. These is a real, ongoing problem and we cannot solve it without your help.

I am proud of what SBP has accomplished since Katrina. I’m especially proud to see how the lessons learned here in New Orleans are causing impact in other communities:

• SBP’s affiliate, Rebuild Joplin, will complete the recovery in Joplin in December of this year. The recovery, slated to take five years, will be complete in three-and-a-half.
• Our Superstorm Sandy recovery operations have rebuilt over 100 homes in Rockaway, Staten Island and Monmouth County, NJ.
• Thanks to the generous support of Zurich Insurance Group, SBP will soon be working in new communities through our Disaster Resilience and Recovery Lab. SBP will conduct trainings designed to help homeowners, small to mid-sized businesses and community leaders understand and mitigate risk prior to disaster. After disasters, SBP will work in impacted communities to implement our documented, standardized and proven-effective model.

We have made progress, to be sure - but there is still much work to be done. Nine years have passed since Katrina, and there are still families wondering, “What will it take to move home?”

SBP has the answer. With $25,000 in building supplies, 150 volunteers and an average of 61 days, we can move a family back into their home. This is where we still need your help.

Please donate to help more families like the Starks move home.

We urge you to think about your own family on this 9th anniversary - to think about what lengths you would go to if your parents, your grandparents, were still fighting to get home.

We believe this is a solvable problem, and by donating, you are part of the solution.

Best wishes,

Zack Rosenburg & Liz McCartney

p.s. Please remember that investing in SBP impacts the way communities everywhere prepare for and recover from disasters. SBP has rebuilt more than 800 homes nationally, but we can all do more.

+ + +

Here are 3 simple ways you can help more families like the Starks move home:

1.  Please consider making a donation at stbernardproject.org/donate. Every donation helps bring a family that much closer to home.

2.  Go to www.crowdrise.com/stbernardproject and start an online fundraising campaign. It’s quick and easy – and donations go straight to SBP.

3.  Throw a party! This is New Orleans, after all. Host a get-together and ask folks to donate. There are folks at SBP who can help you plan this option and give you all the tools you need to make your party a success.

Your donation will help move families from the waiting list and into their homes. There are still over 100 families on the waiting list in New Orleans who really need your help.

Meet Rachel Lau

Meet Rachel Lau. Rachel is from Olive Branch, Mississippi and she serves as a Site Supervisor for SBP in New Orleans. Rachel was a student at Arizona State when Katrina hit:

“I was absolutely overwhelmed by the magnitude of it--the pictures, the stories, the number of people from New Orleans who evacuated, the number of people who didn't. But it was almost more overwhelming as it unfolded and you realized that we didn't have a good system in place to help these people who had lost so much.”

Rachel received a graduate degree in Architecture from University of Virginia.  Why did you choose to serve with AmeriCorps after graduation?

“I believe that each person has at least one skill they can share with their neighborhood and in their community. It can be painting portraits or having a good set of ears or fixing cars or mowing lawns. For me, I love buildings. I love the stories of old buildings. And so I want my skill to be fixing houses--I want to be able to help a neighbor out when they want to gut their kitchen, and when I gut mine I'm going to hope I've got a neighbor who is there to help me!”

It’s been 9 years since Katrina. What can you say about your experience in New Orleans this long after the storm?

“I've been overwhelmed by the kinds of obstacles people are still faced with in moving back--everything from trying to prove ownership of their house because the paperwork they had was lost in the flood to finding themselves victims of contractor fraud to trying to work through the emotions they felt and faced during the storm and its aftermath.”

You’re building houses in the oppressive heat of New Orleans. What gets you through the day?

“The families we are helping are hardworking, generous people who are fighting to come home. The energy of their fight, their resilience despite so many obstacles, their enthusiasm for SBP and our mission...these are the things that keep me, my AmeriCorps peers/team and thousands of volunteers excited about putting hammer to nail.”

 To learn more about AmeriCorps or how you can share your talents through volunteerism, please visit our website: www.stbernardproject.org/get-involved/americorps

9 Years Later, Finally Home

I never imagined that living right next to the interstate could ever be so peaceful. The evening of the welcome home party the first thing on the agenda for Capria and I was to set some strict boundaries for Joshua and Hakeem. Letting them know that Francis Drive is our home and we have to take care of it by being gentle with the structure and keeping ourselves and the furniture clean. First question was...what is the structure? So maybe I should have just kept it simple.

That night we stayed up late walking around as if the house was a museum. It had not yet settled in that this was where we were going to be living. After all, only one of us had ever lived in this house before.  I for one stared at the energy efficient light bulbs in the ceiling with thoughts of all the folks who made it happen. 

The boys absolutely love it that they have a space without daddy all up in their business...for now that is.  As a family we have watched television maybe a total of four hours since we have been here - I love it. It allows the boys to become creative with all the new things "Da Design Angels" put in place for them.  We have made it our own with projects outside the house, although that's been short lived with all of our schedules colliding. It seems all the work put in by SBP leaves me with nothing to try and fix. Clothes are how everyone has seemed to personalize the house. I'm sad to report that pictures remain in the electronics that store them, but we did purchase a new mailbox online! It's been sitting for 2 weeks - lacking the time to properly put it up. 

Harold's Family - Thanks Lexie Cole Photography!

We spend time together preparing meals and actually sitting down at the dinner table talking and making funny faces. The dining room has been one of the most consistently used areas for homework and food.  SBP thank you so much for everything. The work is so professionally executed. Had it not been for SBP, I would have never met the awesome volunteers from across the country to make this project a reality for my family. SBP provided the framework for us to live and The Design Angels supplied us with the tools we needed to succeed. We’re all so organized from the specific furniture pieces they put in the house.

Marriage is awesome with my best friend. We learned we are both clean fanatics!

It means so much to be back in this neighborhood. There's a quiet movement of people that care just as much as I think I do: the house around the corner that was falling is torn down; other folks are working to reestablish their homes on our street; the council person for the area asked if I could come up with some initiatives for our part of the city improvement process. 

SBP THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HELP! I'M SURE THE REST OF THE CITY CAN ECHO THAT PRAISE!


To help SBP bring more families like the Bailey’s home, spread the word that there is still work to be done! Please consider donating online at www.stbernardproject.org/donate or by mailing a check to 8324 Parc Place, Chalmette, LA 70043

Thank you to Event Pros Take Action and Rentals Unlimited for making this dream for the Bailey Family come true!!

House

Left frightened alone beaten, and abused in the dark controlled by the manipulation of the muddy flood waters, for years I cried so many tears,
Broken bones, bruised veins, and left exposed for all to see,
It is a life long memory of misery,
Feeling defeated when things remained the same,
Drawing some strength from how I still remained,
Oh my empty hollow shell,
Waiting to be clothed, waiting for rescue,
Alone thirsty, naked, and unfed,
Just keep waiting for a roof to put over my cracked head,
Then finally out of nowhere,
Came the people, from everywhere,
With hammers, bright smiles, and drills,
Oh what a thrill,
A ray of hope,
A touch of kindness all over my frail fragile body,
The people dress me, caress me, and even perfect me,
The people gave me water to drink,
Now I can think,
Restored my pipes,
Now I can sing;
Lord when they put that hat on my head,
I woke up from the dead,
SBP I just want to thank you. Thank you! Thank you!

Elaine Vigne
4/9/2014

Elaine was an AmeriCorps member for SBP NOLA, serving in our Client Services Department.  She wrote this poem shortly before her term ended.

Sea Bright Rising

St. Bernard Project is excited to announce the recent partnership with Sea Bright Rising, a community based non-profit organization, established in the wake of Superstorm Sandy. Sea Bright Rising is committed to the relief of Sandy survivors and general recovery efforts in the Sea Bright community. Since it’s founding in 2012, Sea Bright Rising has been on the ground working in the community and successfully raised over $1,300,000 in donations to support their local relief efforts. SBP’s East Coast Operations expansion to serve New Jersey communities will enable us to serve more residents and families who are still displaced more than a year later.

On Wednesday, March 26th, 2014, we officially launched operations to serve Sandy survivors in Sea Bright, New Jersey and celebrated the partnership with our new affiliate, Sea Bright Rising. This partnership will implement a residential rebuilding program and focus on serving community residents still waiting to return home. In 2014, Sea Bright Rising will rebuild 30 homes in the area. The program will serve homeowners who own their homes but lack the financial resources to rebuild of their own. Sea Bright Rising will use SBP’s proven effective model to provide a clear, prompt and efficient path to recovery for homeowners in Sea Bright and the surrounding communities in need. We are extremely excited to help local New Jersey residents rebuild their homes and their lives. To learn more about Seabright Rising, please visit http://seabrightrising.org/, on Facebook.com/SeabrightRising and on Twitter @SeabrightRising.