people helping people

At All Hands and Hearts (AHAH), we celebrate the role that each individual plays in creating a positive and brighter future for all. Now, more than ever, it’s important to take care of our global community. Our actions have impact and each of us can uniquely contribute to making this world stronger and more unified for others.  

LOUISIANA

AHAH has been supporting communities in Louisiana after major disasters like Hurricane Katrina, the Baton Rouge flooding and 2020’s Hurricanes Laura and Delta. The most recent storm was Hurricane Ida making landfall in August 2021. Nearly one and a half years after the Category 4 hurricane devastated the state, thousands still live in temporary housing. Throughout communities, blue tarps replace roofs as homeowners continue to struggle with insurance companies for payouts to afford these vital repairs.  The specks of blue across towns serve as a reminder of the destruction Ida caused and the vulnerability of these communities in facing another devastating hurricane season.

The purple shirts of AHAH volunteers are currently peppered throughout the communities of LaPlace and Reserve. Our dedicated team has been working alongside homeowners to return their homes to a habitable state. For many homes, the work is still focused on response activities such as mucking and gutting and mold sanitation. The primary focus of this program has now shifted to the long-term recovery phase of interior rebuilds. This work includes installing insulation, drywall, doors, flooring, trim, mudding and taping. Powered by volunteers, our work caters to the specific needs of each homeowner and the level of repair work depends on the extent of damage to each home.

In Louisiana, much like AHAH programs across the world, we see people helping people.

MS. CONNOR

Meet Ms. Connor. She has been living in her home for 25 years in Louisiana and currently shares it with her daughter and three granddaughters who have been living with her since Hurricane Ian devastated their home.

In Reserve, Louisiana, volunteers have been supporting Ms. Connor with vital interior repairs to her home. A strong matriarchal figure, every day Ms. Connor prepares a home-cooked meal for the team working on her home. After a long morning of installing insulation, or mudding and taping, or priming the walls and ceilings, a hot lunch in the bellies of the volunteers brings a huge smile to their faces.  When asked by a team member what motivated her to prepare hot lunches for the volunteer team, she shared: “If y’all can do all that y’all do and that is all I have to offer, it is from the desire of my heart to do that. Y’all work long and hard”.

Growing up as one of 17 children, family is everything to Ms. Connor. “My children and my grandchildren mean the world to me. I would do anything to help them.” Recently she has been blessed with the birth of her 24th grandchild and she emanates joy as she shares photos of the newest addition of her family with the AHAH team.

Ms. Connor shared that the impact of Hurricane Ian was “hard…very hard. Even up until today I’m still getting straight”. Despite the hardships, her resilience prevails: “When it comes down to family we do this together. That’s my life, I am here for purpose, I am here for a reason…I try to keep a smile on my face no matter what.”

This past Thanksgiving, the New Wine Church hosted a food drive and All Hands and Hearts were thrilled to be involved and helped to assemble and distribute food baskets throughout the wider New Orleans metropolitan area. Together, the drive provided 150 meals to families and individuals across the area. Our volunteers were grateful to be able to provide a basket full of all the ingredients needed to prepare a delicious meal to every homeowner. 

When our volunteers presented Ms. Connor with her food box, she was already busy preparing the hot lunch for that day’s team of volunteers. 

Two acts of kindness as part of a wider chain reaction of positive actions that ripple throughout the communities of Louisiana and across the world.

We are delighted to have finalized work on Ms. Connor’s home and be part of her journey to recovery. AHAH conducted a full muck and gut of her home, removing mud, muck and damaged construction-related materials to ensure the safety of the home before moving onto long-term recovery activities. Once safely gutted, our team conducted internal home repairs including installing insulation and drywall, priming and painting walls and ceilings, providing new laminate flooring and baseboards throughout the home. Now Ms. Connor can enjoy time with her children and grandchildren in peace.

When we all lend a helping hand, we create a powerful positive domino effect, a chain reaction of simple acts of kindness. One simple step can be the start of a chain. You can take that step today and help us in changing the narrative for communities impacted by disaster.

*Significant support for this program comes from a Lowe’s Reconstruction Grant of gift cards for materials purchases, which was facilitated by National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster.