Welcome! Take a moment to learn more about the United Saints from the experiences of volunteers…
Meet Carol!
“As always, with folks who volunteer their labor, I take with me more than I’ve put into it, but have satisfaction in realizing that the small amount contributed by me (in both labor and finances) will add to the whole of all the other volunteer endeavors helping the good people of New Orleans remain in and retain their homes.”
I’m Carol Sula from Duhuque, Iowa.
I was here in New Orleans for a week helping United Saints to assist residents with housing rehabilitation. As a newly retired nurse, I have always had an ethic of service to the marginalized peoples of our society; privileged as I am, simply due to birth.
My faith and life philosophy have influenced by beliefs and I’m heartened by the United Saints’ mission and its dedication to helping people in New Orleans stay in their homes. Without the services of United Saints, many would have lost their homes since Hurricane Katrina.
As always, with folks who volunteer their labor, I take with me more than I’ve put into it, but have satisfaction in realizing that the small amount contributed by me (in both labor and finances) will add to the whole of all the other volunteer endeavors helping the good people of New Orleans remain in and retain their homes.
Carol Sula – 2011
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Meet Nick & Jess!
“Everyone is working toward the same goal of providing beneficiaries with the best work possible and the final products are something to be proud of.”
My name is Jess Van Ness and I am from Watertown, Massachusetts. This fall, my boyfriend Nick and I volunteered with United Saints in New Orleans for two months. While the work could be tough, we had a great experience and were so thankful to be able to contribute to the ongoing recovery efforts.
Though this was our first visit to New Orleans, neither of us are new to volunteer projects. Previously I have worked in Ecuador, Indonesia, the U.S., and Japan and Nick and I met while volunteering in Haiti after the 2010 earthquake.
What set this apart from other experiences was the high caliber of the staff and volunteers at United Saints. Work in the field was supervised by professionals and conducted with a level of perfectionism that is rarely seen in volunteer projects. Everyone is working toward the same goal of providing beneficiaries with the best work possible and the final products are something to be proud of. The work that United Saints is doing has helped homeowners keep their land and move back home in situations where they may otherwise have been permanently displaced. Being part of that process is an unimaginably good feeling that you can only understand if you get out and volunteer yourself!