Catholic Charities Staff Volunteer in New Orleans
In February, nine Catholic Charities staff members traveled to New Orleans with the Order of Malta, a lay religious order of the Catholic Church, to volunteer with Rebuilding Together, an organization committed to preserving and restoring homes and communities.
The trip was sponsored by the Order of Malta Federal Association and included 156 total volunteers including people from AARP, Liberty Mutual Insurance, and Enterprise Rent-A-Car. Catholic Charities staff worked on two homes in the Tremé neighborhood replacing flooring, installing ceiling fans and windows, and putting up dry wall and siding. "The trip was an incredible opportunity for employees to contribute to the rebuilding of a truly great American city. New Orleans has given the world a wealth of music, culture, and history that is all its own, and we as a nation have an obligation to bring the city back for the sake of future generations. It was a blessing to give our time and talents to help people in need who literally have nowhere else to turn. We were not just fixing broken homes; we were helping heal broken lives," stated Caitlin Brazill, attorney with the Immigration Legal Services. Catholic Charities will send volunteers to New Orleans again in April.