Drewids help build hope for Katrina victims

 Drew has sponsored the Drew Disaster Relief Project for the past five years. During this winter break, students and faculty from Drew University and Centenary College went to New Orleans to rebuild the houses of those who lost everything in Hurricane Katrina.

This was an amazing experience where people of different ages and backgrounds came together to bring hope and helping hands to families still suffering the after-effects of Katrina. It was very sad to see that there are still over 20,000 people who have yet to receive aid and are still living either in trailer homes or on the street.

This year, our main job was to remove mold from houses. Other groups worked on putting up sheetrock and electrical wiring. Every day, we woke up at 6 a.m. and headed over to our assigned houses at 8 a.m.

We worked at these locations with an AmeriCorps volunteer until noon, when we ate our packed lunches. We returned to work at 1 p.m. and arrived at the church at around 5 p.m. every day where we were greeted with a delicious dinner.

We had the opportunity to visit shops and restaurants in the French Quarter and Bourbon Street on three different nights.

In the house that I personally worked on, we were lucky enough to meet our house owner Marcel Rivera. He was very thankful and visited us every day to show his gratitude for all the help we gave him. His story was very inspiring and it showed us volunteers that what we were doing created a sense of hope and happiness in these people’s lives.

Listening to the many stories of the people who lost everything gave us an even greater desire to work hard. Despite the very cold weather, we were able to accomplish all our set goals each day.

After five years, there is still much work to be done. Having groups such as the Drew Disaster Relief Project on campus is a great way to encourage people to volunteer to help those in need. There are many unfortunate events that happen all around the world, and sometimes it is hard to help all of the affected. Nevertheless, there are many ways you can help without physically being at that location. You can go online and donate money, spread the word by telling your friends—or start a group that educates people on these issues.

Always feel free to do as I did and venture down to New Orleans and volunteer in the many communities that need our help.

Helping others is a rewarding experience that few people explore. Don’t miss out!