Today our group had the opportunity to volunteer at Love in Action Outreach, an organization that distributes food to homeless and needy families in New Orleans. Yesterday we worked at the Second Harvest Food Bank boxing up donated foods. Those boxes are delivered to Love in Action Outreach where the food is bagged and then handed out, so it was really great that we got to see and be a part of each step in the process.
We started our day at Love in Action at noon and a quick visit to the French Quarter for some Cafe Du Monde and a chance to appear in a Progressive car commercial. While at Love in Action, some of the group was sent to the back of the warehouse to put food into brown paper bags, while others helped carry the food out to cars, or checked in those who were needing the food. While working in the back and bagging up the food, I got the chance to know some of the volunteers who help out there each and every day. What I've found is that the permanent volunteers who work alongside us at each of our sites are so caring and compassionate. They make our group feel like rock stars because they're so appreciative of the service we are doing and they think it's so wonderful we chose to spend our break this way. I wish we could explain to them how much it means to us to be able to serve them.
When I was in the back, I got to know a woman named Cookie. When we had a minute to sit down and take a break, Miss Cookie opened up to a few of us and began to share her story. It was easily one of the most incredible stories I've ever heard and wanted to retell it for everyone to read.
Miss Cookie was born and raised in New Orleans. She is in love with the city and I can guarantee you that she never wants to leave. Her house was destroyed from Hurricane Katrina. She told us she lived on a street next to two other single women who became her best friends. Yet when Katrina hit, their neighborhood was under 9 feet of water and they all had to evacuate.
When the hurricane blew through, Miss Cookie was forced up onto her roof to stay out of the floodwater, along with her dog. She was on the roof for three days before she was finally transported to a bridge. She was on that bridge with her dog and tons of other hurricane victims for a week with absolutely no food or water. She recalled seeing so many dead bodies of both humans and animals floating in the floodwater. Finally, after a week without life's necessities, Miss Cookie started walking. She wanted to meet up with her son who went to school in Houston.
As she was walking, she remembered, "All these black people was passing me by and finally one white woman stopped to help me."
This white woman was driving a brand new car and saw Miss Cookie and her dog. She invited her to come along and told her she'd drive her to Texas, dog and all. The woman stopped to buy Miss Cookie and her dog some food and delivered them all the way to Texas to meet up with Miss Cookie's son. Miss Cookie said she never could find out who that woman was, but she will never forget what she did for her. She began to cry as she shared this part of her story with us.
Miss Cookie stayed with her son in Texas for 8 months because nobody was allowed back into New Orleans for extended periods of time, they could only go in during the daytime because of the looting problem. Miss Cookie would go back to her house frequently just to check on it and make sure it was okay. When she was back in New Orleans, she'd stay in a hotel or in the second story of a friend's house because that was the only part of the house that wasn't flooded. She said she survived there with candles and a battery powered radio.
The one thing I remember vividly from Miss Cookie's story was when she talked about her conversation with her son about returning to New Orleans.
"My son said, 'Mom, why you wanna go back there?' And I said, 'Son, that's where I'm going to die. It's my home. It's home.'"
She continued on to say that she's never going to leave New Orleans. Another disaster could come along and destroy the city, but she isn't going anywhere. She said she'll die with this city.
Miss Cookie also told us about the bridges in the area. Katrina hit New Orleans 6 years ago. Since then, people were left homeless and didn't have a way to rebuild their homes because the government and insurance companies didn't give them adequate funding to restart their lives. Thus, many became homeless and started living under the bridges. They would drag old mattresses under there to sleep. Women would give birth to babies under the bridges. They would make their food there and live in cardboard boxes with all their possessions.
Katrina made them homeless 6 years ago, and these people lived under those bridges until about 6 months ago. It's incredible that it took so many years for them to finally be rescued, and even more incredible that most of the United States has no idea that people are still suffering because of Katrina.
Remember those neighbors Miss Cookie had that were single women like herself? Well, when she could finally return to her home, her neighbor came as well. Her neighbor had left her dog in the home because she wasn't expecting to leave for so long when she evacuated her house. When her neighbor returned home and found her dog dead, she was so disappointed in herself and could never forgive herself for letting her dog, her best friend, die. Soon after, her neighbor ended up having a heart attack and died. Not only had Miss Cookie lost her house and her entire life's belongings, but now she had lost one of her best friends. Tears welled up in Miss Cookie's eyes as she told us this part of her story.
But she wasn't shaken. Miss Cookie rebuilt her house right where it had stood before. She'll live there til the day she dies and remains faithful to her New Orleans roots. She got involved volunteering at Love in Action Outreach because her friend Gail founded it. She recognizes the importance of giving back and was so incredibly thankful that our group was there to do the same.
Working with these volunteers and serving food for 242 households at the food bank was a beautiful experience. Most of them lost their homes and everything they own to Katrina, but rebuilt right where they were before and today are helping other homeless people in need. They have such a kind, giving spirit and they just want to try and get their beloved city back to normal. Though our ASB group has only helped out in small ways, the people in New Orleans make it feel as though we've had a huge impact. It's so special for us to feel appreciated and it makes us excited to serve each and every day. We can't wait to see what tomorrow holds in store for us.
ASB Love,
NO 1
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