Operation Helping Hands
Dear Car Talk and Friends,
I work in New Orleans with a rebuilding organization called Operation Helping Hands. We have some car needs, and I wonder if you might put in a shameless plug for us.
Operation Helping Hands' short story began a few weeks after Katrina, when the city was reopened to civilians. That's when two employees began driving an hour each day into New Orleans to gut houses; storing their tools in a gated parking lot in a thoroughly, completely, totally used vehicle. It's going on three years since Katrina and there is still so much work to be done. Today we have a small staff, a dozen long-term volunteers and hundreds of weekly volunteers coming through each week.
Operation Helping Hands rebuilds homes and lives on limited budgets and horrible roads. We rebuild homes for elderly, infirm and poor folks. We've gone from gutting houses (we gutted over 2,000 units), to rebuilding and renovating homes. Our first two, completely new builds will be finished this fall. We also paint the exterior of homes to help boost the morale of neighborhoods affected by the federal levee failure. Recently (how could we not help but empathize), Operation Helping Hands sent supplies to Iowa after its flood disaster.
To continue our work in New Orleans we need vehicles; that's why we're writing to you Click and Clack. Our cars have been a mish-mash of donations and an occasional purchase when the budget allows. We are in need of work vehicles. Trucks specifically, and if beggars can at least be "suggesters," we'd like to get ones that have an extended cab so that it can carry volunteers. So far we have mostly Fords.
I appreciate your consideration!
Daniel Adrian Manriquez
Exterior Work Supervisor
Catholic Charities Operation Helping Hands
Other ways you can lend a hand
And for those who have left the workforce and are still looking to employ those skills, we are happy to accept retired professionals into our volunteer program.
A short wish list:
- Long-term, skilled volunteers
- A 4-door pickup truck for volunteers and cargo
- Really, we're not picky about pickup trucks, as long as they run
- Paslode finish nailer
- Corded Hammer Drill
- A Generator/Air compressor
- Corded jigsaw
- A Bazooka! (for mudding drywall)
- Various mud knives
If any painters respond, I am the paint supervisor and they can contact me at 504-491-8704. For general volunteers who are called to help, they may contact Krisi Ord at 504-343-2843. We are always in need of skilled volunteers of any type, especially those with Louisiana building experience.
Thanks!
