| Gulf Coast Recovery: Base of Operations |
Plenty’s Katrina Relief program now has a base of operations in Arabi, Louisiana which is adjacent to the Lower 9th Ward of New Orleans.
The base is a 3 bedroom house that is being repaired by Plenty's Gulf Recovery Program Director, Tony Sferlazza and numerous volunteers who come and go.
Tony is continuing our work in the Gulf, primarily engaged in rebuilding peoples homes, installing sheetrock, floors, kitchens and bathrooms, windows and door so residents can move back home.
Tony, who is an experienced building contractor has been helping mostly elderly residents of greater New Orleans get their damaged homes livable again.
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Tony and the Americorp volunteers |
Tony (photo, right) is installing windows for the St. Bernard Parish Community Center.
The Center is now able to provide meeting space, free phone and Internet, laundry and distribution of food and clothing and other services to help the residents of St. Bernard Parish rebuild their lives and livelihoods
.Tony is able to coordinate Plenty volunteers, utilizing their skills to further progress in restoring homes and community buildings throughout the region. |
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Mr. Vernon Washington
1920-2007
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The 87-year-old Mr. Vernon Washington, who lost everything to hurricane Katrina.
His gutted house was able to completely renovated by Plenty volunteers.
He, was evicted from his FEMA trailer two days before we would have been able to get his electricity turned on so he could have heat.
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(Left to rt. front) Plenty volunteer, Kenny Breckenridge, and Vernon Washington,(rear) United Peace Relief volunteers, Bob Dress and Frank Fanto, and Plenty Program Director, Tony Sferlazza.
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He was offered a hotel room but because he just wanted to be back in his own home, unbeknownst to our crew, he went to sleep on a mattress on the bare floor and died during a cold night in New Orleans |
In 2005 the Louisiana Association of Nonprofits (LANO) launched Nonprofit Central to provide meeting space and networking opportunities to nonprofits supporting hurricane Katrina recovery efforts in and around New Orleans.
Tony has represented Plenty at the weekly Monday morning meeting at Nonprofit Central which gives us the chance to network with other nonprofits and find ways to collaborate.
http://nonprofit-central.org/ |
Above, Tony Sferlazza talks with some of the representatives of nonprofit organizations that are working in New Orleans. |
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Ms. Emma Prebost, 83 years old, shown here with Plenty volunteer, Sarah Firth, gutted her own house. She lives in a 250 sq. ft. FEMA trailer parked in her driveway. |
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Tony and the Americorp workers who helped sheet rock Ms. Emma's home. |
Plenty volunteer, Tim Stack (left) and Tony installed a hotwater heater for Ms. Emma Prebost (center). |
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