Hurricane Katrina Volunteer Still Helping as 7th Anniversary of the Disaster Approaches
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Located just east of New Orleans, St Bernard Parish (county) was nearly destroyed by the levee failures that resulted from hurricane Katrina on August 29, 2005. Every home and business was flooded, and nearly 200 people drowned
Iray Nabatoff’s life changed dramatically in January 2006. When he heard about the horrific destruction caused by Hurricanes Katrina, Iray left his home in Acworth, NH and went to Louisiana to volunteer. Iray’s original intention was to stay for a few weeks, helping to serve 1300 meals each day to local residents and relief workers. But as he talked with people who had lost everything — from clothes to cars to pets to homes, and even family members — Iray’s plans for a short stay turned into a long-term commitment. He flew back to New Hampshire to tie up his former life, then returned to St Bernard Parish, LA in February 2006. Living first in a tent, and later in a FEMA trailer (a place he still calls home) Iray brought together returning residents to found the nonprofit Community Center of St Bernard. After extensive renovation of a Katrina-damaged building, the Center opened its doors in January 2007 with Iray as the unpaid fulltime volunteer Executive Director, a position he still holds.
When Iray helped to found the Community Center, he intended to provide a “one-stop shop” where St Bernard residents could receive free, local access to essential recovery resources from across the greater New Orleans area. By making vital services available to residents here in their own county, the Community Center facilitates the ability of local families to both become aware of and have access to the help they need as they work to rebuild their lives and their communities. 6 years have now passed since the Community Center was founded, and under Iray’s guidance it has grown into one of the premier recovery resource providers in the greater New Orleans area. When the Gulf Oil Spill threatened the livelihoods of coastal St Bernard residents during 2010, the Center was there to help immediately with food, clothes, information, referrals, and emotional support . In just the past year:
• The Center’s Food Pantry has given out 263,634 lbs of food to 4,351 unduplicated low-income individuals.
• Office staff have passed out 9,816 flyers, brochures and pamphlets to help families find the help they need. They’ve also made 4,778 referrals.
• 159 people have signed up for the Community Center’s free computer classes
• The Clothing Bank has been accessed 11,224 times.
• 1,850 people have received assistance in applying for the federal Food Stamps program
• 141 senior citizens have received information about the federal SCSEP training program for low-income seniors.
• 5,408 free books have been given out in the Center’s reading area.
• And the Center’s media lab (internet computers, public phones, fax & copying services) has been used 3,889 times.
Iray’s success in turning the Community Center of St Bernard from a simple vision into a real bricks-and-mortar facility where thousands of families come for practical assistance with the problems they face is a shining example of the difference that one individual can make in the lives of those around him.
More About This Charity
Region
South
Category
Volunteer of the Year
Name
Community Center of St Bernard
Mission
The Community Center of St Bernard facilitates the ability of hurricane Katrina and Gulf Oil Spill survivors to regain their self-reliance by providing them with direct, local access to essential recovery resources. Community Center programs include a food pantry, clothing bank, computer classes, financial literacy courses, Medicaid enrollment, Food Stamps enrollment, information and referrals, and more.
Impact
- This Volunteer helped 15,027 people through this Achievement
- This Volunteer helped 5247 people in the past year
- This Volunteer founded a nonprofit community center that has provided long term relief including 1,245,589 lbs of food to 15,027 hurricane Katrina survivors
Works In
United States
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