United Way is supporting Emergency Communities’ Made with Love Café and Grill – providing meals for returning residents, workers and volunteers in St. Bernard and Plaquemines Parishes where grocery stores and restaurants are scarce.
United Way is taking a leadership role with Louisiana’s
2-1-1 Emergency Information and Referral Line –
working with artist George Rodrigue to launch a national marketing campaign. His Blue Dog is focusing attention on the need to develop and fund a
consistent three-digit dialing system nationwide that
provides community, volunteer and human service
information and referral – extremely important during natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina.
United Way is developing a public/private partnership
for Individual Development Accounts (IDAs) – helping low-income people save and build assets.
Individuals who open an IDA receive matching funds
to help buy homes, automobiles and other items to
rebuild their lives.
United Way is operating the Plaquemines Parish
Distribution Center – supplying returning residents
with food, clothing, household goods and supplies, even
toys and books for children. United Way is also leasing refrigerated trucks – keeping catches cold and helping revive the decimated fishing industry.
In the wake of the 2005 hurricanes, United Way of America created Operation Caring Communities, a system-wide mutual assistance network that will mobilize whenever a disaster of a certain magnitude occurs. Through this coordinated network, United Ways across the country will reach out to their assigned partner United Ways in communities affected by disaster and help them provide services to people in need.
United Way is partnering with Volunteers of America’s Volunteer Connection and Catholic Charities’ Operation Helping Hands – two volunteer programs assisting people in cleaning, gutting and reoccupying their homes.
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