United Saints Recovery Project

United Saints Recovery Project is a 501(c)(3) non-profit located in the Central City neighborhood of New Orleans, Louisiana.^[1] Its founder, Daryl Kiesow, first came down to New Orleans with Mission from Minnesota in December 2005 to volunteer as a roofer in the wake of Hurricane Katrina; he intended to help out for two weeks, and ended up staying 15 months, working with HandsOn New Orleans.^[2] Kiesow founded the United Saints organization in 2007 after HandsOn transitioned out of the neighborhood. Since then, United Saints has used a volunteer staff, as well as incoming groups of short-term volunteers, to help New Orleanians and Louisianans rebuild their homes. The United Saints Recovery Project operates out of First Street United Methodist Church.^[3]

Mission

From the United Saints Recovery Project website:

The mission of the United Saints’ Recovery Project is to help revitalize economically distressed neighborhoods of New Orleans afflicted by blight, affected by disasters, and to help those in need. Our focus is to assist the elderly, disabled, and otherwise disadvantaged in rehabilitating and rebuilding their homes, as well as engaging in community service, art, and beautification projects. We do this with the help of local, national, and international volunteers.^[4]

Articles

• Non-profits still key to driving recovery - Times-Picayune, September 10, 2009
• MC Students Spend Spring Break in New Orleans to Help Rebuild - April 10, 2009
• Group travels to New Orleans to give the gift of volunteering - December 24, 2008

References

1. ^ http://www.unitedsaints.org
2. ^ http://www.unitedsaints.org/about/history/
3. ^ http://www.nola.com/picayunes/t-p/nopicayunes/index.ssf?/base/news-7/124288394782700.xml&coll=1
4. ^ http://www.unitedsaints.org/about/mission/