The NOLA Tree -- Who We Helped
These past few weeks, volunteers from The NOLA Tree worked tirelessly at a number of sites in the Lower NInth Ward. Many of you have been asking for information about some of these New Orleans homeowners. Who are they? What is their story? Well, here's a little about each of them.
Wanda and Conrad Bailey live on Dauphine Street in the Lower Ninth. They live with their son and three grandchildren. Their son is a reporter for Time magazine, while Conrad works for a beverage distributor. Several times a week, Conrad fills up a large cooler of drinks (grape soda, iced tea, Vitamin water) for the volunteers. After five years, the Baileys are almost ready to move in. The kitchen appliances are installed, and while our volunteers were working (we painted the entire exterior as well as the porch), the washer and dryer arrived. So did an inspector from the city, who finally granted them a Certificate of Occupancy! The electricity is turned on. The Bailey's are finally home.
Deborah Massey's house is over on Burgundy. She has a Snoball truck in the Lower Ninth Ward, and several times, she treated all of our volunteers. She also likes to cook -- she prepared a few delicious lunches for her work crews. Ms. Deborah is also active with the All Souls Episcopal Church on St. Claude Avenue. Our volunteers helped re-frame her house these past few weeks. Progress is slow, but it is happening.
Ingrid and Wally Jackson's house is also on Burgundy. Like many residents in the Lower Nine, the Jackson's were victims of contractor fraud. They evacuated to Georgia in 2005 and are still patiently waiting to return. Our volunteers did mudding, sanding, taping and interior painting. Since the Jackson's reside in the Holy Cross Historic District, the rebuilding must adhere to strict neighborhood standards.
Over at Keyischa Hill's house on Tupelo, our volunteers helped paint the walls and ceilings. Keyischa is a nurse's assistant at Ochsner Hospital. She has three children. Unfortunately, she did not qualify for funds from the Louisiana Housing Finance Agency or the Salvation Army, so her rebuilding is moving slowly. She saves money to pay for the materials as best as she can. Lowernine.org has been helping her since November of 2008. Her brother, Derwin, also works on the house and enlists other volunteers. Keyischa's plumbing and electrical work were made possible by a grant from the Midler Family Foundation.
Dwayne Johnson's house is on Royal. A self-described political activist, Dwayne is in his late fifties and works in the neighborhood doing home restoration. The Historic Homes of the Preservation Resources Center granted him $40,000 in funding to help rebuild, which covered some materials, but sadly, some of that went to a contractor who defrauded him. His plumbing and electrical were done by Lowernine.org under the Midler Family Foundation grant in 2008, as were forty other projects.
Wanda and Conrad Bailey live on Dauphine Street in the Lower Ninth. They live with their son and three grandchildren. Their son is a reporter for Time magazine, while Conrad works for a beverage distributor. Several times a week, Conrad fills up a large cooler of drinks (grape soda, iced tea, Vitamin water) for the volunteers. After five years, the Baileys are almost ready to move in. The kitchen appliances are installed, and while our volunteers were working (we painted the entire exterior as well as the porch), the washer and dryer arrived. So did an inspector from the city, who finally granted them a Certificate of Occupancy! The electricity is turned on. The Bailey's are finally home.
Deborah Massey's house is over on Burgundy. She has a Snoball truck in the Lower Ninth Ward, and several times, she treated all of our volunteers. She also likes to cook -- she prepared a few delicious lunches for her work crews. Ms. Deborah is also active with the All Souls Episcopal Church on St. Claude Avenue. Our volunteers helped re-frame her house these past few weeks. Progress is slow, but it is happening.
Ingrid and Wally Jackson's house is also on Burgundy. Like many residents in the Lower Nine, the Jackson's were victims of contractor fraud. They evacuated to Georgia in 2005 and are still patiently waiting to return. Our volunteers did mudding, sanding, taping and interior painting. Since the Jackson's reside in the Holy Cross Historic District, the rebuilding must adhere to strict neighborhood standards.
Over at Keyischa Hill's house on Tupelo, our volunteers helped paint the walls and ceilings. Keyischa is a nurse's assistant at Ochsner Hospital. She has three children. Unfortunately, she did not qualify for funds from the Louisiana Housing Finance Agency or the Salvation Army, so her rebuilding is moving slowly. She saves money to pay for the materials as best as she can. Lowernine.org has been helping her since November of 2008. Her brother, Derwin, also works on the house and enlists other volunteers. Keyischa's plumbing and electrical work were made possible by a grant from the Midler Family Foundation.
Dwayne Johnson's house is on Royal. A self-described political activist, Dwayne is in his late fifties and works in the neighborhood doing home restoration. The Historic Homes of the Preservation Resources Center granted him $40,000 in funding to help rebuild, which covered some materials, but sadly, some of that went to a contractor who defrauded him. His plumbing and electrical were done by Lowernine.org under the Midler Family Foundation grant in 2008, as were forty other projects.