For future updates regarding the New Orleans affiliate and Hurricane Katrina, please see their website at www.bhghnola.org.

January 31, 2006

Adams & Reese Law Firm has generously donated temporary office space as the New Orleans office looks for a permanent home.

The Girls Hope scholars are back in New Orleans.  After Christmas break, they thanked the Baton Rouge program, packed up the few belongings they had, and headed back to New Orleans to live in a temporary home and return to school.  St. Michael's Special School in New Orleans generously allowed the girls to utilize the upstairs of an unused convent on their property.  The girls' excitement to return to their schools, including Dominican, trumped the adversity faced in moving again and continuing to feel displaced.

The Boys Hope scholars, unfortunately, are still pretty spread out.  The 2 boys that are attending Jesuit High School are living in a FEMA trailer on the former Girls Hope property.  One of the staff selflessly lives in the trailer with them.  The other boys are in Norco, LA while they continue to stay enrolled in their temporary school until the end of the year.

The boys home is being rebuilt and they are hoping to have it finished by March 2006.  It has not yet been determined if the girls home will be able to be renovated or will have to be demolished and rebuilt.  Although they are not in the best of living situations, they are constantly reminded that they have it much better than many others from New Orleans.

For future updates, please see the Boys Hope Girls Hope of New Orleans website at www.bhghnola.org.

October 31, 2005

For the first time since Hurricane Katrina struck, Executive Director Cory Howat slept in the same bed (not couch) for several consecutive days.  Attending the 2005 National Management Conference, Cory shared his experience of the devastation as well as his thanks for the tremendous support received from the Boys Hope Girls Hope family across the country. 

With the scholars settled and doing well in school, thoughts turn to plans for the rebuilding effort.  Just before the conference, the Board of Directors of Boys Hope Girls Hope of New Orleans met for the first time since the hurricane via conference call.  It was their first chance to connect, share contact information and receive information as to the status of the program.  All expressed their commitment to rebuilding.

Photographs of the homes may be viewed by clicking here.

September 24, 2005

As of last week, the New Orleans girls' home as been relocated to Baton Rouge while the boys have been welcomed to the Norco, LA community.  All of the scholars are getting settled into school and adjusting to their new surroundings.  Some have had the opportunity to visit with their families and efforts to maintain contact will continue throughout the relocation period.

As we move forward from the crisis phase of Hurricane Katrina, it is time to recognize the extraordinary efforts of the staff who, for the most part, put the needs of our scholars before their own and that of their families.  During the last few weeks, residential counselors and volunteers have home schooled the scholars and developed special projects so their learning would not be seriously interrupted by their circumstances.  All staff have gone above and beyond to anticipate the needs of the scholars and meet them to the best of their abilities.  Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.

NEW WAY TO HELP!

To the many of you who have asked how you might help, consider a contribution to the New Orleans Rebuilding Fund (through the National Office) or a contribution of household items through the Club Wedd registry at Target.com.  There you will find a variety of items that the program needs at a variety of price levels.  Any support that you can provide will be GREATLY appreciated.

You'll need to enter the following information.

First name - Boys Hope
Last name - Girls Hope
State - Louisiana

September 7, 2005

Knowing that the residential scholars are safe in Natchez, Mississippi and that their needs are being met, attention this week has focused on the collegians.  We have now made contact with each of them and are in the process of relocating them to the colleges and universities that are the best fit under such unusual circumstances.  You may have read or heard in the news of the accommodations being made by several schools to those who have evacuated the Gulf Coast.  Our collegians are among the beneficiaries of their generosity and we are all grateful.

We have received several telephone calls and emails with offers of help - THANK YOU!  There will be a continuing need for financial support to meet the many long-term needs of the New Orleans program, some of which we can anticipate, others that we cannot.

To help meet these needs, we have established the New Orleans Rebuilding Fund at the National Office to assist scholars and collegians as they recover from Hurricane Katrina.  Funds will be used to provide temporary housing, school supplies, clothing and food in the immediate future.  As time goes on, resources will be needed to rebuild and furnish the home.  You can send make a contribution through GiveDirect (by clicking on How You Can Help on the left of this page) or by sending a check to Boys Hope Girls Hope National Office, 12120 Bridgeton Square Drive, Bridgeton, MO 63044.  Please indicate that the donation is to be directed to New Orleans.

The needs of the collegians are unique in that they are, to some extent, alone in dealing with the aftermath of the hurricane.  We are in regular contact with them by telephone and email to assist in their transition to other schools.  We will better understand their needs once they are settled but can tell you that they are likely to need financial support beyond what we normally provide.  Your cash donations, as well as gift cards, would be greatly appreciated.

August 31, 2005

We have had numerous inquiries into the status of the homes in New Orleans and the safety of the staff and scholars.  It is a relief to tell you that they all evacuated safely and have been welcomed by the Boys Hope Girls Hope family in Baton Rouge.

Our attention right now is on helping to collect information and identify resources.  Many of the staff and scholars are out of touch with their families so we are tapping every source possible to locate family members.  We are also trying to make contact with collegians and alumni in the New Orleans area to make sure they have the support they need.

The needs of the scholars are unclear at this time.  It is likely to be several days before we have a sense of  the conditions in New Orleans and the capacity of those living there to return.  We do know, however, that the recovery is likely to occur over a period of months.

As we sort through the early stages of this situation, we ask the following of you:

Do not contact the New Orleans staff with questions or offers of support.  Their resources are extremely strained at this time.  Instead, please contact Paul Minorini at the National Office by calling 1-877-878-HOPE or sending an email to pminorini@bhgh.org.

If you are a collegian or alumni in the New Orleans or Baton Rouge areas, please contact the National Office at 1-877-878-HOPE or pminorini@bhgh.org to let us know that you are safe and what your needs are.

If you are interested in making a contribution of funds, items or services, please send Paul an email at pminorini@bhgh.org.  The National Office is currently assessing needs and will coordinate the delivery of resources to the New Orleans program.

The staff and scholars of New Orleans want you to know that they are aware of your support and are tremendously grateful. 

Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.