Amelia Renaud of Carthage Helps Rebuild Hurricane-Ravaged New Orleans Neighborhood

2013 Mar 7

Amelia Renaud of Carthage, N.Y., a junior at The College of Saint Rose in Albany, N.Y., is one of 14 Saint Rose students spending an Alternative Spring Break in New Orleans helping citizens of the city continue to rebuild in the aftermath of hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

Renaud and the 13 other students are volunteering with lowernine.org in the Lower Ninth Ward, one of the hardest-hit parts of the city. The 14 students left for New Orleans Sunday, March 3, and will return to Albany Saturday, March 9.

Renaud is pursuing a major in special education/childhood education.

This is the eighth consecutive year that Saint Rose students have given their vacation time to help with hurricane relief. All of the students volunteer their time; they are not paid for their work nor earn any class credits.

Lowernine.org is dedicated to training residents and volunteers in the hurricane-ravaged Lower Ninth Ward in the numerous skills necessary to bring this century-old historic neighborhood back to life. These skills run the gamut from basic to advanced house construction and rebuilding and include community gardening projects, emotional and social support services, social outreach and community development. In addition to collaborating with other organizations with similar missions, lowernine.org works closely with community leaders to reach the greatest number of residents and to maximize the potential of what has been a giant step forward in re-establishing community.

Camp Restore in New Orleans' Ninth Ward is serving as the students' "home away from home." Camp Restore has been serving the New Orleans area since fall 2006. In partnership with more than 60 other area nonprofit organizations, Camp Restore connects thousands of volunteers each year with the full spectrum of service opportunities in New Orleans.

On the Web: www.strose.edu

The College of Saint Rose Experts Directory online: www.strose.edu/expertsdirectory