UPS knows there’s NO Place Like Home

In preparation for the 5th anniversary of the landfall of Hurricane Katrina, and recognizing that nearly 1,000 families in the greater New Orleans area still remain in FEMA temporary housing, United Way launched the NO Place Like Home campaign – an initiative designed to move one family each week from temporary housing back into their own permanent homes. 

Immediately after the launch of the campaign, UPS stepped up and agreed to sponsor a house through NO Place Like Home, moving one family home this summer.  As a result of UPS’s commitment and contribution, the Treaudo family will leave the FEMA trailer in which three adults and a very young child have lived for year.  In fact, the Treaudos’ grandson has never known any home other than the FEMA trailer that is falling apart as this temporary structure has been used well beyond its intended lifetime.

On Saturday, July 24th, dozens of UPS employees joined United Way and St. Bernard Project to welcome the Treaudo family home, and to work on the homes of three additional families, continuing the rebuilding that is essential to communities across the Gulf Coast.

In addition to dozens of volunteers on the 24th, UPS has also already deployed volunteers with skills and expertise of critical value, but often absent in the nonprofit sector.  For example, to increase the capacity of the St. Bernard Project, UPS staffer Mark Stewart has provided initial consultation to the organization and agreed to assist in the development of efficient and effective processes for a recently acquired warehouse facility.  The logistics and inventory tracking expertise provided has the potential to save significant time and funds, transforming donors’ dollars into a greater number of homes for families still suffering years after Hurricane Katrina. 

UPS continues to be a leader among socially responsible corporate citizens, and United Way commends their efforts to LIVE UNITED and rebuild lives and communities in the greater New Orleans area.

To learn more about NO Place Like Home, please visit http://rebuildnola.unitedway.org