The beginning of the end of an era...

Today was a pretty big day...we began the long, sweaty, emotional process of moving out of our home for the past 3+ years, 2113 Pass Rd. I never imagined when I arrived here in March of 2007 that I would be the one person out of that team left here leading this project. And although when I arrived the walls were already covered with remembrances of volunteers come and gone, and this building has never been my actual home (although I think I've logged enough hours to claim residency at this point) I have to say this is probably one of the hardest things I've had to do since I got here. Most of what we did today involved sorting things, cleaning out rooms, and throwing away more pillows than I thought even existed, and I took on the task of taking pictures of everything on the walls. All day I thought about each piece, when it went up, and how many times I had actually sat down and looked at it over the course of the last year and a half. I started to take down some of the overflow t-shirts and posters that have been recently added on the first floor, and had to run back for the camera at least 3 or 4 times to capture more of this space before taking it down. I know it's just stuff, and I'm excited about moving to a new place, but I know I'm closing this chapter of HOGC's history.
I am pretty excited, however, that we now have a final destination for the infamous retired jerseys...they, and most of the memorabilia from the thousands of volunteers who have been here, will be preserved by the Katrina Research Center at University of Southern Mississippi. I am so glad to know that anyone who has been here on this journey with HOGC can come back to the Gulf Coast and feel like they're coming home (sorry, I know that was cheesy but I had to rep Mississippi for a minute).

Make Difference Day

On Saturday, October 25th, Hands On Gulf Coast (HOGC) joined millions of Americans across the country for the 18th annual Make A Difference Day, the largest community service day in the nation that rallies corporations, government, nonprofits, and Americans into action.

This year, we developed, organized and led five volunteer service projects that mobilized over 225 volunteers in Harrison, Hancock and Jackson counties. Volunteers

• built a community garden in North Gulfport, 
• helped children connect to their East Biloxi community through creative art projects, 
• cleaned garbage and cut trails at Shepard State Park in Gautier, 
• gutted and cleaned four homes hit by Hurricanes Gustav and Ike in Pearlington, 
• and tiled a shade structure for the Faces of the Gulf Coast project during the Vancleave KaBOOM! build.

Check out our photos on Flickr!

Hands On Gulf Coast thanks the following organizations who helped make the day such a success: North Gulfport Community Land Trust, Gulf Coast Boys and Girls Clubs, Pearlington Recovery Center, One House at a Time, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, Keesler Air Force Base, NAVASA, Shepard State Park, and KaBOOM!

This day would not have been possible without the generous donations and efforts of the following organizations, individuals, and companies: Southern Grounds, Salvation Army, Popeye's, Domino's Pizza, Wing Zone, Strami's Italian Cafe, Quizno's, Caitlin Boulger and Ken Wetzel.

Thank you to all volunteers and sponsors who helped make a difference!

Make A Difference Day: October 25, 2008

Hands On Gulf Coast (HOGC) will join millions of Americans across the country spending Saturday, Oct. 25 - the 18th Make A Difference Day - doing volunteer projects to improve the community and help neighbors in need. The day is the largest community service effort in the nation, rallying corporations, government leaders, nonprofit organizations and everyday Americans into action on one day.

HOGC is a 501(c)3 nonprofit affiliate of Hands On Network – a network of nonprofit organizations around the world that inspire volunteers, create leaders, and change lives and communities through effective volunteer action. We envision a community where all individuals discover their power to make a difference and are equipped as active, engaged citizens.

This year, Hands On Gulf Coast will host five events, beginning with a kickoff celebration the morning of October 25th at the Good Deeds Community Center - 15101 Madison Street in Gulfport, see map below. Volunteer check-in and breakfast will begin at 9:00am, before volunteers disperse to their service sites.

It is HOGC's goal to mobilize over 250 volunteers in Harrison, Hancock, and Pearl River county. Register today and bring your family, friends, youth group, and neighbors.

Volunteers are needed for the following projects:

• to build a North Gulfport community garden and clear vacant lots
  
• join us for Art in the Park, a family volunteer and crafts day in East Biloxi
• remove debris and overgrowth from trails at Shepard State Park in Gautier
  
• help muck and gut homes of Pearlington residents affected by Katrina and Gustav
• work on construction projects in multiple locations

To find out how to join in, please visit www.handsongulfcoast.org, call Hands On Gulf Coast at 228-257-6094, or email volunteer '@' handsongulfcoast.org.

Details Summary
Kick Off Breakfast & Checkin*: 9am at the Good Deeds Community Center in Gulfport (map below)
Projects Begin: 10am
Day Ends: around 3pm

Please register by October 23, 2008.
* for those not able to drive to Gulfport, you can check in at your site (9:30am), confirm details when you make your reservation

Map to Kick Off location at Good Deeds Community Center, Gulfport, MS.

View Larger Map

Notes from the ServiceNation Panel

Last Saturday's panel discussion focused on the past, present and future of the volunteer movement in Biloxi and along the Gulf Coast. I took some notes which I'd like to share. Most quotes are paraphrased. First, let's introduce our panel:

Dorothy Noorbaar, Habitat for Humanity of the Mississippi Gulf Coast / AmeriCorps VISTA
Nelson Walker, Hands On Gulf Coast / North Gulfport Community Land Trust
Craig Snow, Project Coordinator, Hope Force International
Juanita Gaines, Moore Community House
Johnis Ross, Hope Coordination Center

Moderator: Caitlin Brooking, Director of Programs, Hands On Gulf Coast

Why do you volunteer?

Juanita: Because of the many needs in the community, especially among seniors and children. "I love people. You have to be a people person to want to volunteer."

Dorothy: My previous job and life situation weren't fulfilling. So I picked up and moved here in order to do something worthwhile. I don't want to live my life unhappy and unfulfilled.

Johnis: I told myself that I wouldn't break down, even in the face of the enormous loss after Katrina. I wanted to be there for other people, with words, with actions, and with resources. I wanted to be able to work for the Lord.

What is the greatest reward of volunteering?

Craig: Seeing the point at which someone can start to visualize their new house. After it's destroyed, there's nothing but loss and memories. But there's a point during construction, once the sheetrock is in, that people can start to imagine the way their new house will look, imagine their bedroom and living room. That's when hope is restored.

Nelson: Working with kids. My most rewarding moment came when I could be a friend to a child who didn't have a lot of other friends at the time.

What do volunteers bring to a community?

Dorothy: Volunteers sacrifice a lot to come here; they are away from their jobs, their homes, and even their families. Sometimes they get treated like outsiders, and they shouldn't be. They should be valued for what they've given up.

Craig: The volunteer movement can inspire the local community to act in compassion. The best definition of love is: choosing the other person's highest good. That's what volunteers do, and they can inspire others to do that.

Juanita: I agree. Volunteers bring love to a community.

What needs to be happening 3+ years after a disaster?

Johnis: People are getting back into their houses. But what do you do then? There are still great needs. Before the storm, I wanted to open a house for women with children to help them develop parenting skills, financial skills, and more. That need is still as great as ever. Mississippi has a very high rate of teen pregnancy. There's a lot more that needs to be done.

Juanita: Education. Particularly, attempts to reach out and educate people who normally aren't in the loop about what's going on in their communities. We need to go door-to-door to reach out to these people.

Also, we need to encourage volunteers to keep coming down. Invite family members and others to volunteer here or in other areas such as Texas.

Craig: One danger of a long-term volunteer presence that some people will begin to feel a sense of entitlement. They are used to having volunteer services available. With fewer outside volunteers coming in, however, people will have to participate more, and contribute more to the rebuilding of their own communities.

Habitat has the idea of "sweat equity", in which people are required to help out with the construction of their own homes. We've also applied this idea to our recent work in Louisiana after Gustav. Instead of asking people, "What can we do for you?", we ask, "What can we help you do?" We want to enable people to help themselves.

Johnis: One ongoing problem is communication. Not everybody reads the paper or watches the news. We need organizations, like VOAD, that increase communication and cooperation.

How can we develop programs for children without replacing the role of parents?

It's true that if parents don't take an active role, some children are basically being raised by programs. But this doesn't mean that programs are bad; it means parents need to be encouraged to get involved in their childrens' lives. Schools and after-school programs can require parental participation. In some cases, parents have to work two jobs or have other issues that make it difficult for them to spend much time with their children. These issues could be addressed as well.

Caitlin: Hands On has a vision of schools as communities. That means they're not just used from 7 to 2, but for after-school programs, community meetings, and other events that bring parents, children, and community members together.

How do you envision the volunteer movement in 5, 10, or 20 years?

Craig: Leverage the small flow of outside volunteers in order to develop and support a large flow of local volunteers. Help increase the capacity of local organizations.

Johnis: Develop permanent infrastructure for volunteer and community service efforts, such as a disaster response center north of the Bay from which future response efforts could be coordinated.

ServiceNation Day of Action

Again on WLOX, this is a link to a clip that ran Saturday evening. This time, WLOX featured Hands On Gulf Coast's participation in the Service Nation's Day of Action.

The news clip introduces another new staff member at Hands On Gulf Coast: Ann Lewandowski, AmeriCorps Program Coordinator. She arrived at the end of August to run the AmeriCorps program. She is a two-term VISTA and is excited to be on the Gulf Coast.

Welcome aboard!

Note: The clip is linked to WLOX and has an advertisement at the beginning. The clip also ends with an advertisement before it moves to the next, unrelated piece. Enjoy!

WLOX & HOGC's New Executive Director

We are excited to have her aboard!  We are also excited to continue putting down our roots on the Gulf Coast and becoming an everyday part of life.

KaBOOM Chicka Boom

[Originally posted on Design . Build . Learn . Repeat]

If you haven’t heard of the fine folks at KaBOOM!, they travel the country building playgrounds for neighborhoods that need them. Their goal: a place to play within walking distance of every child in America. Friday and Saturday, I helped prepare and lead the construction of a shade structure as part of a KaBOOM! build at the Isiah Fredericks Community Center in North Gulfport. The shade structure was designed by Jessie Zenor and built by Hands On and the North Gulfport Community Land Trust; it incorporated hundreds of tiles decorated by children from across the Gulf Coast school system.

• Total number of KaBOOM playgrounds as of Saturday: 1,500
• Number of tiles decorated by kids in Gulf Coast schools: 620
• Number of total volunteers: 400+
• Number of Air Force volunteers: 225
• KaBOOM playgrounds on the Gulf Coast since Katrina: 107
• Time we finished prep work on Friday night: 11:30
• New picnic tables: 4
• Shade structures built: 1

Friday afternoon, I got a message from Caitlin at Hands On saying they needed help getting the structure ready for the KaBOOM! day. We ended up staying there until 11:30 at night, and good thing we did, because Saturday morning we had eager volunteers ready to begin gluing tiles to the structure.





Check out many more pictures on Hands On's Flickr Page!

Gustav and Ike Update

Hi folks-
With the arrival of Ike late last week, all of our disaster response projects from Gustav received further damage, mostly due to the huge storm surge Ike brought all along the Gulf Coast. Biloxi itself did receive some flooding, but Bay St. Louis, Pearlington, and our project in Chauvin, LA were all inundated with flood waters, forcing us to evacuate those projects for the weekend. Our team in Chauvin restocked supplies and returned to Louisiana on Sunday when the water receded, to find most of the roof work they completed still intact, but a new challenge in mucking out homes flooded this time around. The plan for now there is to keep our team on the ground through this week and re-evaluate the scope of work, and to determine the long-term plan based on the needs, and capacity of local groups to continue to respond.
HOGC has also reached out to the Hands On affiliate in Houston to offer any assistance they may need, but until assessments are complete and we are asked to respond we will be standing by in Biloxi, continuing to help our community recover from this year's storms and our regular work load. We do need volunteers to help with our project in Pearlington, helping the Pearlington Recovery Center muck out and gut the 100+ homes that were flooded, so if you want to help in Mississippi we can certainly put you to work!
Take care and stay well,
Caitlin

Gustav Response...and also, hello!

Hi, I am the mysterious Caitlin that de Veer has been talking about. I've been holding down the fort since June as we search for a new Executive Director, and it has been a wild ride so far...particularly the past few days. I've been sending the brief, weird updates to the left through Twitter.com, from the Red Cross shelter most of the HOGC team was assigned to through the storm. We worked for about 3 days straight to prepare the HOGC base in case we got flooded/tornadoed/or lost power/water, then with the Red Cross to help stage their shelters across Harrison and Hancock counties, then checking in and feeding the fine folks who turned out at Stennis Space Center over in Hancock county. Many of our volunteers worked around the clock, and our team really pulled together to assist before, during and after the storm. I am so proud to be a part of this organization right now!

Yesterday and today we've been working on getting our heads around the damage and needs in the area affected by Gustav, and how we can best respond. HOGC and our partner, HopeForce International, are sending a small team of volunteers and AmeriCorps members over to an area just south of Houma, to a town called Chauvin, LA. They will be working to assess the damage in this area tomorrow with the local fire department, and will be housed in the fire station. In the next few days they will begin tarping roofs and clearing debris, as well as working to determine the long term response needs and the capacity for a larger team of volunteers.
View Larger Map

We have received huge support from the Hands On Network and Points of Light staff, as well as The Home Depot, all of whom mobilized literally overnight to support our response effort. An enormous THANK YOU to all of the support we've already received, and to all of the volunteers already registered to help out...we are looking forward to working with you!!

I also traveled to Hancock county today to check out Bay St. Louis, Waveland and Pearlington, and it seems Gustav has been fairly merciful. Some neighborhoods did take quite a bit of water, and we heard about 100 homes were flooded in the area, but the storm surge did not seem to be particularly violent, and the volunteer organizations in the area seem to be acting very quickly to address the needs. We will be helping Presbyterian Disaster Assistance rebuild their volunteer camp so they can begin to receive volunteers, and we also stopped by the PearlMart and they seemed to be in good shape. We will be working with the Volunteer Reception Center (VRC) being set up by Volunteer Gulf Coast to receive any work orders and deploy volunteers, but the damage seems to be fairly manageable with the great organizations already working in Hancock county. We will continue to stay in touch with our partner organizations to respond to any further need as people begin to return to their homes and survey their own damage.

I will be traveling to Chauvin on Friday to check out the work our team has been doing and to check out the capacity for the area to receive volunteers, and we will most definitely be working with Hands On New Orleans and Volunteer Baton Rouge, as well as the VRC in Louisiana to deploy volunteers. If you want to come down and help out, please visit www.volunteerlouisiana.gov to register with the VRC...we will be directing all out of state volunteers to this VRC to connect them with organizations to make the recovery effort as orderly and impactful as possible. There will be plenty of work to do clearing debris, tarping, mucking out homes and gutting (AND MOLD REMEDIATION, OF COURSE!!), so as soon as we are able to secure housing, food, and to assess the extent of the work, we would love to have all of ya'll's help!

Take care,

Caitlin

Gustav, Update 2

What are we up to?  At this point, we're still awaiting all the damage assessments from the Mississippi Gulf Coast. 

Flooding has receded in most, if not all, areas, but residents have been encouraged not to return until today, though according to the Sun Herald many came home yesterday.  Highway 90 is closed for repairs.  Check here for the Sun Herald's city-by-city report.

While we're waiting for damage assessments in our communities, we plan to check out Pearlington, Mississippi to see what sort of assistance is needed and what assistance we could provide.  They were were hit with flooding again.  More to come later this evening.

At this time, both Hands On Gulf Coast and Hands On New Orleans are directing those who want to volunteer to the Louisiana Volunteer Reception Center (VCR).  You can find out more information on their website www.VolunteerLouisiana.gov.

Additionally, a small team of Hands On Gulf Coast volunteers will go with Hope Force to Houma, Louisiana for a two-week mission.  There, we will be assisting in the initial stages of disaster recovery.  Our focus will be on tarping roofs, cutting away trees, and performing general debris clean up.

As with each disaster, we can use your support for these operations.  Gas stations are closed in Houma, so all fuel needs to be brought in.  Additionally, we need to purchase tarps to put on people's roofs.  Please support our efforts by donating for our emergency operations efforts.  Your generous support is always appreciated by those who receive our services.

Gustav Report

As you can see, the HOGC Base seems to have weathered the storm well. There is little apparent damage. Power was on and food doesn't seem to have spoiled in the fridge.



Initial reports from Harrison, Jackson, and Hancock Counties are that there was damage, but it's not nearly as significant as there could have been. There were downed trees and flooding, particularly around Point Cadet and East Biloxi.

Until we get a more full assessment on the site, check out the news on SunHerald.com.  Here are some links to region-wide stories:

• SunHerald Gustav image gallery
• Gustav Damage Report, SunHerald.com
• Harrison County Report, SunHerald.com
• Hancock County Report, SunHerald.com

Ominous Skies

Photo of the skies. Courtesy of Caitlin Brooking's cell phone.

Hurricane Gustav Preparations

We have been watching the developments of Hurricane Gustav closely.  For those of you interested in what we plan to do, please read below:

• Hands On Gulf Coast staff and AmeriCorps members will work with the Red Cross of South Mississippi to run evacuation shelters on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
• Hands On Gulf Coast is on call with Harrison County Emergency Management post-storm for debris removal duty.
• Hands On Gulf Coast is on desk to assist in the management of unaffiliated volunteers who might come to the area to help with storm damage.
• Hands On Gulf Coast is in communication with Hands On New Orleans.  Depending on the severity of damage and where the most need is, Hands On Gulf Coast staff and AmeriCorps members may help with New Orleans recovery efforts.

If you are interested in coming down to volunteer after Hurricane Gustav passes, please call before you arrive.  Given the commitments to local emergency agencies and potentially to Hands On New Orleans, we need to provide you with the most current information regarding capacity and greatest need.

The phone number to contact is still: 228.257.6094.

We will continue to post information about our activities on this site.  Also, check out the Gustav Updates (via Twitter) in the right-hand column of the blog and on our Twitter site: http://twitter.com/hogc.

Let's continue to hope Hurricane Gustav weakens, or at minimum fails to strengthen before it arrives on the Gulf Coast.

My Last Day

Hi Everyone,

Today was my last day working on the Gulf Coast.  Though my last official day as Director was 16 May 08, Friday, there was really no way to not work on HOGC stuff until I actually leave the Coast.

So, I thank everyone for their support of Hands On Gulf Coast, our mission and the work we do.  I also thank everyone for their support during our years of transition, evolving as the needs of the Gulf Coast communities evolve.  It's not always been easy, but the constant evolution is necessary to continue to stay relevant to the recovery effort.

I thank my staff, AmeriCorps members, and long-term volunteers who really deserve the credit for making Hands On Gulf Coast what it is.  

Caitlin Brooking is now the Acting Director of Hands On Gulf Coast.   I know she'll do well in her role.  Please give her the support she needs as she takes over amidst a challenging time.

My experience in Biloxi, MS has been one of the most challenging and rewarding in my life.  It sounds cliche, but it is true.  Where else do you spend 18+hrs a day working and (usually) feel great about doing it?  We build homes and community for those ravaged by Katrina and ignored by many recovery systems and processes.  This work, helping others, is so critical, that the gravity of its impact helps buoy you over the rough seas and setbacks.

I am proud to have served the residents of the Gulf Coast.  I am proud that each of you felt the same compelling desire and need to help the Gulf Coast and chose to spend your time with us.  Please continue your support of the recovery efforts, in general, and Hands On Gulf Coast, in particular.

Cheers,

Chris

  

Independence Update

It's been about six weeks since our last update on Hands On Gulf Coast's transition from program of Points of Light & Hands On Network, to a local nonprofit governed by the community.

In the intervening six weeks, somethings move quickly, some things move slowly.  What's new?

• We agreed that becoming an independence nonprofit is the best way to meet both the needs of the community and the needs of the national office.  As part of this process we explored the option of partnering with Volunteer Gulf Coast.  Both organizations want to promote and encourage the Gulf Coast communities to become more deeply engaged in community building efforts through volunteer projects, however both organizations agree that the rapid move to independence required of Hands On Gulf Coast does not allow sufficient time to thoroughly explore the range of partnership opportunities.  Because partnership and not duplicating services is critical, Hands On Gulf Coast's Advisory Board agreed that Hands On Gulf Coast should move ahead with independence from the national office, then circle back with Volunteer Gulf Coast and the United Way to hammer out the details of a solid, community changing partnership.
• Recruited board members like Bob Fell - just now retiring from the City of Biloxi and going into business building homes - and Lee Gentry - Clinic Administrator for Coastal Family Health Care.
• We developed, voted on, and adopted by-laws and articles of incorporation.
• Began the process of establishing accounts and credit in the name of the organization Hands On Gulf Coast

Of course there is quite a bit more to do, such as establish a payroll service, obtain insurance, get to fundraising, but we're working on them bit by bit.  We're also working with the national office to reconcile financial records so that Hands On Gulf Coast starts out on solid financial footing.

Through all of this, Hands On must work through the transition of a number of key staff.  Sara Hamilton, Associate Director, left at the beginning of May.   Today is my last day of work as the Director, though there will be many days behind the scenes helping out.  At the beginning of June, Sue Cole, Operations Assistant, and Erica Winslow, Mold Educator, both leave and will be sorely missed.

So not only is the organization's status transitioning, so too is the staff.  Though there will be bumpy times and challenges ahead, you will see new organization and structure emerge.  It will be stronger and better able to focus on what's most important - the meeting the critical needs of the Gulf Coast Community through volunteer work.

YouTube Channel

About two months ago, I established a channel for HOGC videos. Because we've been busy with volunteers and transition details, we haven't had much of an opportunity to post videos.

Last week, I prepared two slideshows for a presentation to a region meeting of ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, yes the Internet people) registrars and registrees in New Orleans. Unfortunately, for all my tech savvy, I was foiled by a slow computer and was not able to show the photo collages of the Gulf after Katrina hit (courtesy Hands On USA volunteers and FEMA) and of Hands On Gulf Coast volunteers working.

You can see them here:





As well as on our YouTube channel.

More to come in the future.

Departure

It is difficult for me to make this posting. I have decided to step down as Director and leave Hands On Gulf Coast, effective May 16, 2008.

I started with Hands On USA, arriving just days before they handed over the operation to Hands On Gulf Coast. I was there at the transition when Dave Campbell said, “Do you want a job? I just set you up for an interview in 20 minutes.” From day one with Hands On Gulf Coast, I have helped manage the organization, taking over as Director in January 2007.

Still, I came down like everyone else, a volunteer. Hurricane Katrina directly impacted my family – my grandmother and one of my uncles lost their homes in the New Orleans region. I knew I would be down. I thought it was just for three weeks.

Many of you have never met me because I prefer to work quietly behind the scenes. I enjoy the world of spreadsheets, budgets, computers, and yes, people. I worked with a great team of people to make your experience at Hands On Gulf Coast as rewarding as possible.

The opportunity that I was given to help manage, then lead Hands On has been one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had.

I also have to announce that another pillar of Hands On Gulf Coast will leave on May 2. Sara Hamilton, now the Associate Director, came from Chicago Cares, the Hands On Network affiliate in, you guessed it, Chicago. She arrived in June 2006, after a week-long volunteer experience in April 2006.

She came back and immediately jumped in to manage our volunteer programs. After six months, the massive AmeriCorps program was handed to her with the simple directive “make it happen”. She developed, implemented, and managed one of the most effective AmeriCorps programs in Mississippi. Did I mention that she had no prior AmeriCorps experience and she had six weeks to recruit and enroll the first round of members?

Yes, Sara has been one of the other quiet presences at Hands On Gulf Coast that has kept the organization moving ahead despite transition and tumult.

Caitlin Brooking, currently the AmeriCorps Program Manager, will step into the role of Acting Director after I leave. She will hold that post until we hire an Interim Executive Director.

To ensure the delivery of quality volunteer service, we will be hiring an AmeriCorps Program Coordinator and additional administrative support, in addition to the Development Specialist who will focus on fund raising for us.

It is only appropriate that as Hands On Gulf Coast the organization transitions, so to does the leadership. It’s the next step in the evolution of what started as an idea in Thailand after the tsunami.

Thank you to each of you for your support of Hands On, the Gulf Coast, and this leadership team. The Gulf Coast and Hands On will continue to need your support in the months and years to come.

Chris de Veer
Director

Construction Update

We've had some great news in the past couple weeks:

• The Lee St. house has its Certificate of Occupancy (CO)! Fantastic. We can't wait to celebrate the move in of another home owner.
• The Ngo Family has the CO. Yes, we had the party before they had the CO, but they're in, sleeping on their own beds now.
• Lameuse St. has been sheetrocked, taped, mudded, texturized, and painted. It's trucking along.

Sadly, two members of our construction crew left recently: JP and Fletcher. Both were great workers and contributors to the construction team. We, as well as East Biloxi, will miss their presences and their skills. Thank you for your commitment to the Gulf Coast.

Ngo Family House Party

On Monday, April 21 2008, we had the house warming party for the Ngo family who lives at the Bowen Street house we've been working on. Though the house didn't have the final inspection complete at the time of the celebration, it didn't dampen our spirits.

The house looks great! The family is excited! Our AmeriCorps members who have dedicated their time and skills to getting the Ngo family back into their home are excited and happy. The dedication of this home makes this house the 12th house Hands On has completed.

We had help from other organizations. Craig Snow of Hopeforce sent a group of builders from West Virginia our way. They banged out quite a bit of the house and purchased quite a bit of material for the home. We thank them immensely for their efforts. The Amish also helped with the dry wall. I didn't see them hanging it, but by all reports it was quite the sight to see. There was also support from the East Biloxi Coordination Center in the form of site visits from Brandon and Richard, as well as contracting support.

During the house warming party, Mrs. Ngo cooked up a mountain of food. Hand made egg rolls, shrimp fried rice, fried chicken, and grilled beef. She piled it high on Nic's plate. Everyone had a good time.

During a short speech expressing his gratitude, Mr. Ngo said that he was very happy and excited to be back in his home. This was now our home, too. He said we would always have a place with them.

As with each of the builds and rehabs we do, it's a group effort. We're happy the Ngo family is (almost) back in their home.

Go Blue!

April has been a busy month for Hands On. Our Youth Development folks - Danae, Amanda, Jesse, and KC - have been working diligently to pull together volunteers and activities for the Child Abuse Prevention month. In partnership with the Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse, we have gone Blue.

Go Blue! is the campaign that the Center conducts throughout the month of April. Our good friend Demp Bell, the Wal-Mart Good Works Manager, introduced us to Michelle and Vicki. As part of this campaign, there were events each weekend at Wal-Marts around the Gulf. The events were designed to raise not only awareness of child abuse, but also to raise funds for the Center. We worked in partnership with the Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College to recruit volunteers and man booths and some of the Wal-Marts throughout the month.

The collaboration culminated with the participation in the Family Fair this past weekend. Sponge Bob Square Pants and Blues Clues were the draw for kids and families to the Coliseum. We had a booth manned by some of our AmeriCorps NCCC members and the Youth Development team. There was face painting and planting.

Planting? Yes, one of the options was for kids to fill a cup with top soil and plant the seeds of a plant. Lots of folks came by. I think we even convinced one of the Marines in the booth next to us to get his face painted.

We're happy we could support the Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse and raise awareness about such a critical issue.