News Stories & Links

REBUILDING NEW ORLEANS…

What is Being Done?

Food distribution:  On September 3 rd, five days after the devastation of hurricane Katrina, the food distribution center at Victory Fellowship in Metairie, LA, opened.  To date over 2,275,000 tons of non-perishable food, water and cleaning supplies have been distributed.   

Food donors include:

• Church of the King, Mandeville, LA
• Convoy of Hope, Springfield, MO
• Florida Boulevard Baptist Church, Baton Rouge, LA
• Friendship Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI
• LeSea Feed The Hungry, South Bend, IN
• Pepsi Americas, Olathe, KS
• PRC Compassion, Baton Rouge, LA
• Revival Ministries International, Tampa, FL
• Second Harvesters, New Orleans, LA
• Thirst No More, Omaha, NE
• And numerous other churches and private citizens nationwide

Hot Meals: The first hot meals were served on September 10 th.  Currently we estimate over 10,000 meals per week are being provided to needy families.            

Cooking operations include:

• Blood and Fire International, Atlanta GA
• New Life Outreach, Virgil, KS
• Operation Blessing, Virginia Beach, VA            

On Site Aid:  In addition to our primary distribution/food service site at Victory Fellowship Church on Airline Drive in Metairie, we have started community restoration efforts in the Claiborne Avenue, Carrollton, Hollygrove and Mid-City neighborhoods of New Orleans.  Teams of volunteers distribute hot meals, non-perishable foods and other necessities, and also assist residents with clean-up, roof tarping, debris removal and general repairs. 

Volunteer teams include:

• Gateway Church, Dallas, TX
• Global Celebration, Tacoma, WA
• Goodness Project
• Grace Center, Tennessee
• Iris Ministries, Redding, CA
• PRC Compassion, Baton Rouge, LA
• Toronto Airport Church, Toronto, CANADA

What’s Next?

Community Restoration:   New Orleans consists of 78 identifiable communities.  Each of these areas has its own unique culture and issues.  It is our desire to partner with these individual communities to rebuild and restore the things most precious to them. We will focus on the neighborhoods that are currently most heavily populated.  Teams of volunteers will go into hard-hit neighborhoods to assist residents with rebuilding their homes and their lives. 

The first step of this process would be to conduct evaluations of each individual community to identify its needs. Currently living conditions are very difficult in many areas.  Community grocery stores are closed, public transportation is limited and private cars have been damaged by the storm.  Most area hospitals and community clinics are currently closed.

Each neighborhood will need an “anchor” facility where local residents may obtain building materials, non-perishable food and cleaning supplies.  In this facility, we would like to provide counseling services for hurricane victims, medical and dental services, after-school tutoring, job training and basic life skills support.  We would also like to partner with these local communities to help reestablish small businesses.

This is a project much larger than any single organization and would require a continuing supply of resources and volunteers from around the nation and the world.  Recent experience following hurricanes Katrina and Rita has shown that faith-based organizations can get the job done.

What’s Needed? — Resources! 

Funds to Purchase:

• Neighborhood “Anchor” Facilities
• Building Materials and Repair Supplies
• Non-Perishable Food and Other Basic Living Supplies
• Medical Supplies
• Trucks and Other Vehicles for Transporting Supplies
• Volunteers, Skilled and Non-Skilled
• Doctors, Nurses, Dentists, Crisis Counselors
• Carpenters, Electricians, Plumbers, Roofers, Drywall Contractors
• Housing for Volunteers

We are concerned that living conditions for many in the New Orleans area are extremely harsh.  Basic sewer, water, electric and gas services are not available in most cases.  Individual homes are not protected from the elements, and as winter approaches we are desperate to help our neighbors.  Living conditions in homes damaged by the flood are potentially toxic and generally deplorable, yet many have no other option than to remain in their damaged homes.  We must help, and we need your help to be effective.

Victory Fellowship has the ability to coordinate faith-based volunteers and resources on a national level, as demonstrated by its current relief efforts.  We need the money; we need the materials; and we need the help of local officials to accomplish our shared vision of rebuilding New Orleans.

God bless you and God Bless America.

— Guy Carey, Pastor Immanuel’s Church — Silver Spring, MD 20905

If you, your organization or business would like to donate either money or appropriate materials please contact us at either: relief@immanuels.org or call 301-989-4673 x1265.   Gifts and contributions are tax deductable.       (On-Line Donations)