Anyone who knows me has heard me talk about New Orleans, and the effort my youth group makes each year to make a difference in the area. We spend a week each Summer in New Orleans to rebuild after the destruction of hurricane Katrina. This year will mark the fifth annual trip. In addition to that, 2012 will mark the seventh anniversary of the storm. Although I have been anything but blind to the New Orleans area for the past five years, the amount of destruction still visible is a continual shock to me. It is true that we have seen major improvement throughout the years; each year we take a tour of the city, and we get the chance to see new homes and restored lives each time. However, there is still work to be done. To this day New Orleans residents are living with friends, family members and volunteers; waiting for the day when they can return home. There are empty fields in the Lower Ninth Ward where houses once stood. The government and the rest of the country alike have forgotten about New Orleans. Our attention has been diverted; disasters in Haiti and Japan have replaced what feelings we had for the victims of Katrina. To add to this, seven years is a long time. It is hard to imagine that anyone is still hurting from something that happened so long ago. I believe we have a responsibility to help the people of New Orleans, even to this day.
To this end, I will continue to work to heal the wounds left by the hurricane. For the moment this means donating my time and energy; a resource that is often in short supply. Volunteer groups like ours make a difference by donating labor, which is often the most expensive part of a job. Often the homeowners can afford the resources to rebuild their homes, but they don't have the means to pay a contractor. That is where we come in. In addition to that, groups like ours bring the gift of hope to a city that has been seemingly forgotten. We show the people of New Orleans that we care, and that we will never forget what happened to them.
We can't do this alone.
Today I ask for your support. My goal is to raise $1000 to cover my trip expenses (travel, lodging, and so on.) Anything you could give would be much appreciated, and will go to help people who truly need it. I have placed a widget on the right side of my blog with which donations can be made to our fundraising effort. Donations can be made either by using this widget or through contacting my parents directly.
I'd like to thank you for taking the time to read this post, as well as to thank in advance those who choose to donate.
PLEASE
NOTE: when you follow my "DONATE" link above, you will see the
following:
1.
You will first see the donation window, with "St. Raphael
Church" at the top and "ReNew Orleans" below that.
2.
Enter your donation by typing the amount into the text box and clicking
on "Update Total".
2.
After doing this you have TWO donation options:
a. OPTION ONE: if you
have a PayPal account you can log-in directly from this screen.
b. OPTION TWO: if you
don't have a PayPal account, you can donate via credit card by clicking "Continue" on
the bottom left, where
it says, "Don't have a PayPal account?" with a strip of credit
card icons.
3.
This will take you to the final donation review screen. It should
say "Please review your donation" and "ReNew
Orleans".
3.
Just below that is a clickable link that reads: "+ Donating to a
specific member?". PLEASE click that link.
4.
A text box will open; please type "Nicole Thompson" to
ensure that your donation is connected to me.
5.
If everything else is correct, click "Donate $xx.xx Now".
6.
Accept my heartfelt THANKS!!! Feel good about helping
another couple of families in NOLA...
A small group I was a part of in front of a house we helped to complete
Another small group, posing with a man who moved back home after they finished his house
Last year's group. Aren't we pretty?
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