NeighborWorks Hosts First National Community Development Conference in New Orleans Since 2005 Hurricanes

January 4, 2007 – During December, NeighborWorks America was proud to host a series of events in New Orleans demonstrating our commitment to revitalizing the entire Gulf region. From December 11-15, the NeighborWorks Training Institute taught community development skills to close to 1,900 nonprofit leaders. On December 11, 2006, NeighborWorks America hosted the official opening of our new Louisiana office in New Orleans. Finally, dozens of NeighborWorks volunteers pitched in to build a playground, and rehabilitate a high-school and houses in recovering neighborhoods.

The NeighborWorks Training Institute was the first national community development conference to be held in New Orleans since the 2005 Hurricanes. Established in 1987, the Institute offers education, certification, networking opportunities and other resources to tens of thousands of people who are seeking to revitalize their communities. This Institute included a symposium on Organizing for Social Equity and Community Rebuilding, special site visits related to Katrina recovery, and new courses as part of the Native American Community Development Training Program, as well as dozens of courses on nonprofit management, housing finance, construction and production mangement, community economic development, and community building and organizing. The Institute's major sponsors were Freddie Mac and State Farm Insurance.

The new NeighborWorks office in New Orleans will work with local, regional and national partners to help rebuild homes, develop new affordable housing and strengthen Gulf Coast communities as well as serve as the home base for the coordination of NeighborWorks rebuilding efforts in the state. The opening is the culmination of years of work that NeighborWorks had already been undertaking in the region.

A NeighborWorks America employee volunteers to do construction in New Orelans.

NeighborWorks America's Marshall Crawford was one of 43 volunteers helping with rehab projects in New Orleans during December.

From day one after the hurricanes, NeighborWorks America invested financial and human resources to support rebuilding efforts. To see pictures of our December volunteers, click here.

To learn more about the NeighborWorks efforts in New Orleans in December, see the article in the New Orleans Times-Picayune. To learn more about the NeighborWorks efforts in Gulf rebuilding through the “Power of 10” click here.