[Re]Builder Month
Community revitalization is a core pillar of Rebuilding Together New Orleans’ work. No project better exemplifies those efforts than [Re]Builder Month. That community effort, originally known as Christmas in October (and Christmas in April nationally), engages hundreds of volunteers in a “blitz” build designed to provide eight to ten families with critical safe and healthy repairs over just a few weekends. No community understands nor exudes the community based “it takes a village” better than New Orleans. Neighbors helping neighbors, strangers helping strangers; it’s that mindset that continues to help New Orleans become a more resilient, equitable community. Rebuilding Together New Orleans listens to the communities it works with to provide assistance that addresses the underlying needs of a neighborhood. Past projects also include murals, a tool library, community makerspace, community garden, women’s shelter, parks, and playgrounds.
Disaster Recovery
Rebuilding Together New Orleans completed more than 1,000 homes after Hurricane Katrina, and we're committed to serving our communities after whatever comes next from the gulf. We're currently focused on roofing projects in response to Hurricane Ida, and assisting our neighbors in the bayou region. As a member of the National Association of Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster, we work side-by-side with our community leaders and in partnership with local and national disaster response and recovery organizations to help families return home.
She Builds
Rebuilding Together’s She Builds program features community revitalization projects that create real change for women. She Builds provides critical home repairs to women in need and revitalizes community centers providing services to women and their families. The event series includes home repair trainings to give women the confidence and skills to maintain safe and healthy homes. According to the National Women's Law Center, more than one in seven women and more than one in five children live in poverty. More than half of those children live in families headed by women, and most don’t have a spouse’s income to rely on to support their family. Together we can increase the health and safety of their homes, and empower women to become change makers in their communities.
Build and Boil
Join Rebuilding Together New Orleans for our 5th Annual Build and Boil on May 18th! The Build and Boil, part community service day and part crawfish boil, celebrates our communities and helps support families in need. Volunteers assist homeowners with critical repairs and boil teams will compete for a cause all while helping to raise money for Rebuilding Together New Orleans. In 2023 we hosted our 4th Annual Build and Boil Block Party! With the support of more than 75 volunteers from local businesses and corporations, we were able to help 5 homeowners within New Orleans, and boil more than 1,000 pounds of crawfish for the community! Thanks to our sponsors, volunteers, and community members, we were able to raise almost $30,000 in 2023 for future projects across New Orleans! We’re excited to see what our [Re]Builders can do in 2024!
5TH ANNUAL BUILD AND BOIL
Saturday MAY 18, 2024
2800 BLOCK OF MARAIS ST
AmeriCorps
Rebuilding Together New Orleans has been partnering with AmeriCorps since 2007. Each year a group of full-time members have worked alongside the RTNO staff to implement programs, organize volunteers and work on houses. To learn more about these programs, please visit the AmeriCorps website.
AmeriCorps offers more than 70,000 opportunities annually for adults of all ages and backgrounds to serve through a network of partnerships with local and national nonprofit groups. Areas of service range from community development, providing youth mentoring and helping to protect the environment.
AmeriCorps members serving with RTNO get to see first-hand how the work they’re doing positively impacts the community. The tasks House Captains complete improve the quality of life for all of RTNO’s homeowners, whether it’s through the addition of a wheelchair ramp to allow homeowner mobility and independence, or exterior weatherization repairs to lower utility builds and keep a home clean and healthy. They complete hands-on repairs as part of prep work or punch list for special projects, and complete repairs in volunteers’ absence. On project days, AmeriCorps House Captains work with volunteers from all backgrounds and skill levels to complete a variety of construction activities. Wherever possible, they teach and empower volunteers to learn new skills and safely implement them on the worksite.