The Trail

Issue date: 3/2/07 Section: News

Media Credit: Gloria Preseder Last year students went to New Orleans with Habitat for Humanity to help Hurricane Kartina victims rebuild their homes. This year another group of 25 students will follow this new spring tradition.

The devastation that struck New Orleans from Hurricane Katrina in 2005 left the entire Gulf Coast in ruins. The American public was informed immediately of the tragedy because of the persistent media coverage that focused directly on the New Orleans area.

In response to the slow rehabilitation process that the gulf coast has undergone for the past two years, about 25 UPS student volunteers who are involved with Habitat for Humanity will fly to New Orleans and to Mobile, Ala., over spring break and help build homes for those who still don't have a home to return to.

As of now there are more than 150 individuals living in Habitat homes in Mobile that cost $50,000 to build and approximately 170 volunteers to complete.

"It's heart wrenching," Stephanie Schuster, President of Habitat for Humanity said. "All that's left are foundations, everything that's left are on concrete cinderblock stilts. But it turns out that the houses we plan to build are more sturdy than the houses that were up beforehand."

According to information provided by Schuster, Mobile County is the 19th most poverty stricken County out of Alabama's 67 counties and at least 20% of Mobile residents live at or below the poverty line. Nearly 29% of the Mobile population is under the age of 17, and as of now over 600 families are still without a home or their home needs massive construction.

UPS Habitat for Humanity volunteers will only stay in New Orleans for one night because the actual city received a lot more attention and aid from the federal government than many of the surrounding towns that sit on the outskirts of the city.

Towns such as Mobile are still at point zero with reconstruction and so Habitat for Humanity will answer the call for help with a goal to construct 20 new houses suitable for a family of four by the end of 2007. The town of Mobile has a goal to construct up to 100 new homes by the end of this year.

"We've been hosting fundraisers like selling jewelry, Valentines Day treats and bake sales so that the students who want to volunteer but can't pay for the plane ticket can still go," freshman Alana Eakin said. "The left over money will be donated to the Mobile Habitat for Humanity chapter project."
The students decided to help the town of Mobile because it asked for aid specifically from Habitat for Humanity and because the time frame fit perfectly with the amount of time off UPS students had from school.

The volunteers will be living in temporary housing while working on building new homes, and will be assigned to wherever work is needed.

"We won't know if we will get to work with other students involved with Habitat for Humanity around the country, or just with [those UPS students involved]," Eakin said. "We will most likely be working with Alabama locals."

There are many other Gulf Coast programs such as Common Grounds that are also trying to rebuild the areas that still need aid, and UPS is proud to be included with that rehabilitation process.

• Alison Mesinger loves gumbo.

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