St. Bernard Project

Thanks to support from our generous sponsors, Linden International Recruitment Tours and Street Dixon Architects, NCGS was able to send a team of conference volunteers to a day of service with the St. Bernard Project, a nonprofit, community-based organization whose mission is to create housing opportunities so that Hurricane Katrina survivors can return to their homes and communities.

The St. Bernard Project was started in March 2006 by Zack Rosenburg and Liz McCartney after the couple volunteered in St. Bernard in February. During their initial month of service, they met residents who were courageous, spirited, and determined to rebuild their lives and community. They shared their stories, opened their homes and made Liz and Zack laugh, cry and question their own values. Inspired by the residents’ collective spirit, openness and fierce desire to rebuild their lives and community, Zack and Liz decided to create an organization that would provide vital resources and support to families in a seamless and timely manner. The St. Bernard Project’s programs and goals are directly driven by the needs expressed by the community members.

Over the past few years, St. Bernard Project has received distinguishing awards, including The Manhattan Institute’s Award for Social Entrepreneurship, the Friends of New Orleans Hero of the Storm Award, and CNN Hero of the Year.

In addition, St. Bernard Project has been featured in newspapers, magazines, websites, and television shows, including The Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, Associated Press News, The Oprah Winfrey Show, Anderson Cooper 360°, CNN, and NPR

For those who were fortunate enough to be part of this day of service – and for those who are simply interested in what is still going on in the St. Bernard neighborhood – you can follow the progress of the building projects and the lives of the families who will return there through the following links:

Patricia Legohn
http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/The-Legohn-House-A-St-Bernard-Project/125857800784768?ref=search

Sullivan Dabney
http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/The-Dabney-House-A-St-Bernard-Project/130322923654369?ref=search

Gerry Bierria (where the students worked on thursday)
http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/The-Bierria-House-A-St-Bernard-Project/139582896055447?ref=search