Together New Orleans Needs Volunteers To Help Tornado Victims

Together New Orleans(TNO), a NOLA Community-based organization, is turning to Louisiana neighbors asking for assistance in tornado recovery efforts. Local officials will be rolling up their sleeves to pitch in and some volunteers are meeting today at the Central Missionary Baptist Church, located at 1438 Alabo St. in Arabi, Louisiana around 1:30 pm

Of course, the March 22, 2022 tornados did a lot of damage in Southeast Louisiana and outreach as well as clean-up and folks helping with resources, etc, is a huge undertaking. That said, it is going to take a lot of caring hands to help pull this off. Volunteers don't need any special experience, just able bodies to assist mainly in canvassing and putting together care packages for the hundreds of victims in the area.

If you are not able to attend today's initial meeting but want to volunteer please contact LaKenya Roberson via email at lakenya@togethernola.org or call (314) 680-0421. Volunteers wishing to help can sign up here. If you can't volunteer, but would like to donate to TNO, please click here. Our hearts and prayers go out to the residents and families in the Southeast Louisiana area. There is a long way to go in clean-up, aid, and recovery but some progress. Below is a list via TNO of the many efforts that have been accomplished so far.

*TNO & supporters visited 1000 homes, talked to more than 250 people and created a database of things people need, which has become a central tool to organize the broader response

*Mutual Aid, St. Bernard Parish & NOLA Ready have organized volunteers to bring people those things they need

*TNO organized a Portable Battery Exchange (PBE), with 100 portable batteries people can borrow for a day and exchange a day later for a newly charged battery

* 3 charging stations powered by solar panels and back-up batteries, with a 4th on the way, have been stood up by The Footprint Project, Solar Alternatives, Groundwork New Orleans, PosiGen & smartAID

*Hot meals have been provided by Celebration Church, United Way, Camp Hope, Imagine Water Works (and probably lots of others!)

*Mutual Aid has brought a service dog to engage with folks who are experiencing trauma

*LASPCA is organizing pet food for delivery tomorrow morning

*St. Bernard Parish officials (especially Council Member Gillis McCloskey & CAO Ronnie Alonzo, but many others, too) have shown how fast government can move when you embrace grassroots efforts