Gulf Coast Volunteer Program

Unitarian Universalist congregations and groups can take an active part in the Gulf Coast recovery work by participating in the UUA-UUSC Gulf Coast Volunteer Program.

Volunteers will learn about the communities affected by the hurricanes Katrina and Rita, particularly the inequalities that continue to affect the rebuilding of Louisiana and Mississippi. They will also bring that understanding to bear on working for justice in their own communities.

About the program
In the Gulf Coast, volunteers will have the opportunity to work with:

Program partners.

Community organizations.

UU congregations based in the Gulf Coast region.

The program offers volunteer groups materials to help prepare them for the trip; information on logistics; housing in New Orleans; orientation that includes a session to help them understand the context in which they will work; work assignments; and debriefing. There are on-site volunteer coordinators in New Orleans. We are not currently sending volunteers to work in Mississippi.

Standing in solidarity
The mission of the UUA-UUSC Gulf Coast Volunteer Program is to live our faith by standing in solidarity with the people of the Gulf Coast for a just and equitable recovery through active engagement by UU congregations in partnership with others.

The UUA-UUSC Gulf Coast Volunteer Program grew out of the Hurricane Relief and Social Justice project of the Unitarian Church of Baton Rouge, La. This project, which was created to respond to the great need of the surrounding region in the aftermath of the hurricanes, transitioned into the UUA-UUSC Gulf Coast Volunteer Program in April 2007.

For more information about the UUA-UUSC Gulf Coast volunteer program, please e-mail Peggy Powell at uukatrina@uusc.org .

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