Reaching Out in Love

We are working to rebuild St. Benard Parish, LA.
We are working through churches and the churches are reaching out to the community. Teams are assisting in putting peoples homes back together. Most areas are now in the rebuilding phase; although we do have a few areas where some clean up is still needed. Rebuilding can involve insulating, installing sheetrock, roof repair, etc. Teams that come down need to be flexible and willing to do whatever is needed that they are qualified to do.

As you consider coming to assist, here are some policies and information that you need to be aware of.

1. No team members may be under the age of 14. Age 14 – 17 must have proper forms filled out, signed and notarized to bring with them.
2. All team members must be current with their tetanus shots. Anyone with an asthma condition should consult their doctor before coming down to assist.
3. We will have lodging secured for your team. Most of these locations are in church Sunday school rooms/gymnasiums. Team members need to bring cots/air mattresses and bedding. We have showers available for the teams use in the lodging location. We ask that teams to pay $25.00 per. day for housing and meals per. person. This will help to cover some of the utility and facility osts of the team.
4. Teams will be provide three meals a day at the relief center. If you have special food needs please contact us.
5. If you are planning on flying into the area, we do not have vehicles to transport teams. Therefore you will need to rent vehicles to transport your team members to/from the airport and also to the work-sites. We do not provide transportation around the area.
6. Due to how things can change down here, we typically do not assign a specific location for your team until approx. 3-4 weeks from your arrival. We try to place teams in locations where the skills that team members have can be the best utilized.
7. With most of our sites in the re-building phase it is extremely helpful that your team has some team members with construction experience. Any other skills are also helpful. You team will also need to bring some basic hand tools with your team. If you have questions on tools please contact us.
8. With the warm temperatures and humidity that can be down here, please remind your team that it is extremely important to stay hydrated. They will need to drink a lot of water through out the day.
9. If your team is scheduled to arrive during hurricane season and a hurricane watch has been given for the area, we will be contacting you and possibly request that you do not travel. If your team is already in the area when the hurricane watch is given, an evacuation plan will be in place. We realize that this could involve a very short notice at times, but your safety is of utmost importance and we ask for your understanding and cooperation in this matter.
10. Teams are encouraged to raise funds for materials.

Thank you for your interest and we look forward to working with you.

Rustin Treadaway

504-228-6401

Who Lives in St. Bernard Parish?

Cajun People of Louisiana
The roots of Cajun culture began almost 400 years ago when French travelers settled in the area that is known today as Nova Scotia, Canada. Then they relocated to Louisiana, the Cajuns or also called Acadians found themselves again in a new environment. They began farming and raising cattle, establishing a homeland for themselves even as control of the area changed from Spanish to French to American hands. The Acadians were determined to keep their culture alive. One way they did this was by allowing in outside influences- by being inclusive, not exclusive. The culture gradually absorbed influences from indigenous peoples of the area, from French and Spanish settlers who were already here, from Africans who began to arrive in greater numbers, from English, Irish and Scottish settlers who made their way in from the surrounding areas, from Germans immigrants, etc., etc. As this cultural transformation took place, the French word "Acadiens" gradually changed to "Cadiens" The same change took place in English: "Acadians" became "Cajuns." The roots were still as strong as ever, but a new branch was flourishing.
Today the Cajun people still survive, speaking much the same language their antecedents did 400 years ago. This cultural integrity had not been easy to maintain. The surrounding American mass-culture and the powerful reach of television have been perhaps the greatest threat of all to Cajun culture. But the Cajun way of life has survived, and regional cuisine, architecture, folklore, etc. have been maintained. Perhaps the best known part of Cajun culture, however, is the music.

Who lives in St. Bernard Parish?

Canary Islanders of St. Bernard Parish, LA

The Canary Islands are a collection of 7 islands about 100 miles west of the coast of Morocco. Spaniards conquered the area and migrated to the island in the 15th and 16th century. By the 18th century, the islands were controlled by nobles.
Since the late 1600s, Spain had encouraged the Canary Islanders to move to the Caribbean colonies. After Spain acquired Louisiana in 1762, it recognized the need to populate the territory. When the Revolutionary War brought the English in conflict with the American colonies, Spain recognized the danger from possible English hostilities in Louisiana. On August 15, 1777, Spain ordered a second battalion be formed in Louisiana. It looked to the Canary Islands for 700 recruits. It tried to get married recruits so that they could not only defend the area, but also populate it an establish permanent settlements. Today, the descendants of this migration are mainly the "waterman" of the thriving Saint Bernard Parish fishing and trapping industries. Still referring to themselves as Isleños" (descendants of the Canary Island immigration), this group has remained uncommonly compact, retaining much of the flavor and family unity of their cultural origins. From 1778 to 1783 more than two thousand Canary Islanders were sent to Louisiana. The majority of the Canary Islanders were placed in settlements at Galveztown, Valenzuela, St. Bernard, and Barataria. Although they suffered many hardships, many of the Canarian settlers survived and eventually adapted to the low, flat topography and hot, humid weather of their new homeland. Today their descendants are scattered throughout the state and far beyond, and many Hispanic surnames remain to recall the legacy of the Canary Islander settlers in Louisiana.