There were a few mud fights...
.... but the 6 on the drywall finishing crew covered a lot of ground...
...seams...
....screws.... etc for Joyce Sanders
We installed some kitchen cabinets for the Cure's in St. Bernard. Like more than half the residents, they are retired and have had lots of health problems since the storm.
Amanda, on her 5th trip is our old pro. Here, you see her modeling the latest in swamp mucking fashion on her way to paint with a crew ;-)
Another team spent the day laying flooring in a 4th home
The people here are still so beaten down by their ordeal. All the volunteers came back today with the stories of the people they are working for. Both from the storm and the problems and recovery they've struggled through since.
It is good to be getting people back into their homes again.
When 1/3 or so of residents on a street set up a trailer and begin rebuilding it's like a tipping point where most of the rest of the neighbors return.
The job sites we are working this week are the fruits of the St. Bernard Project. This organization was set up in October by Zak (here in front of their office) and Liz who like others, couldn't go back to their lives in DC with so much unfinished and desperately needed work left to do. They have a tool co-op for people fixing up their own homes, host a community center, and are offering the rebuilding services of volunteers like our team to those unable to rebuild on their own. More about this org as the week progresses.
There has been so much positive change since I was here last. You have to wait for a clear spot in traffic to pull out onto St Bernard Highway, or Judge Perez.
Houses are being rebuilt, or hauled away to make room for reconstruction (Habitat is expecting to start in a couple months on these vacant slabs).
Flowers are blooming in front of FEMA trailers.
Some trailers are well decorated for the holidays too.
While its no longer a ghost town here in Chalmette, there's still a lot to be done.
Heavy rainstorms last week left shallow, but wide spread flooding from mud filled storm drains and the crud is still all around.
It's nothing like the horror it was right after the storm now though. The general aroma is what you'd expect for a town anywhere and the houses we are rebuilding are clean and very habitable. Winn Dixie, Walgreens, some restaurants and other life is coming back. The overall impression this trip is very positive. We're helping people get their lives back who may have only gotten $20,000 or less from insurance and government assistance to do so.
This is getting dirty and helping people... real church.
John McGuire
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