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| The Beacon of Hope
Resource Center will be auctioning off a pair of Suite Level tickets to see the Saints play the
New York Jets on October 4, 2009. The starting bid will be $250.00, and includes suite
access, food and drink. Bids can be made at the Gulf Coast Bank on
848 Harrison Ave., New Orleans, LA 70124, between August 1 and August
31, 2009. |
By the Numbers:
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Volunteers: 9,876
Hours Served: 71,228
Service Impact (in U.S.
Dollars): $1.4M
Louisiana Beacons: 16
Total Beacons: 18
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- Samaritan's
Purse in partnership with Franklin Avenue Baptist Church is building
and rehabilitating up to fifty homes in New Orleans, LA to donate to
families. If you are interested in learning about the qualifications
there will be information sessions will be held at Franklin Avenue
Baptist Church, 2515 Franklin Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70117 on Thursday,
June 25, 2009 at 10 A.M., Thursday,
June 25, 2009 at 6:30 P.M., and Saturday,
June 27, 2009 at 10 A.M.
- Through the State, the City of NO
continues to offer a $65,000 soft second mortgage program. Details
about this program can be found at www.FinanceAuthority.org.
- Liberty
Bank and Trust Company announces the launch of the $20 Million Gentilly
Homeowners initiative, which
will provide assistance to homeowners in estimating cost of completion,
indentifying contractors, and determining financing options to rebuild
their homes and their neighborhoods. To learn more please visit www.libertybank.net, or call 1-866-386-2293.
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City of New Orleans Office of Recovery and Development Administration / Code Enforcement News
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ORDA is doing several things to reduce blighted properties in New Orleans. They include increasing the capacity of the City's Enforcement Courts, creating a new program to target commercial blight, and working with the state to remove violations on Road Home Properties.
For more information on the City of New Orleans Office of Recovery and
Development Administration or Code Enforcement please click here. |
Post Offices Reopen in Lakeview and Gentilly
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Nearly
three-and-a-half years after Katrina flooded the post office in
Lakeview, a new and larger post office has opened on the same site. The New Orleans
Lakeview Station located at 6319 Marshal Foch Ave, hours of
operation are 8:30 A.M to 4:30 P.M., Monday through Friday, and you can
contact them at (504) 428-2629.
The
U.S. Postal Service has also reopened the New Orleans Gentilly Station
located at 2051 Canton Street on May 4, 2009 with the hours of operation
are 8:30 A.M. to 4:30 P.M., Monday through Friday. You can contact them at (504) 282-2301.
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- Resurfacing has begun on Canal Blvd. between Robert E. Lee and Harrison Ave. Fleur De Lis Drive reconstruction is expected to begin in September. This will
involve both the repair of water lines and streets.
- Properties sold to the Road Home program will be up for sale soon. Please visit LCIA's
web site, www.lakeviewcivic.org for more information. To see the "Lot Next and Phase
II properties in Lakeview, please click here.
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Beacon of Hope Resource Center is supported by |
United Way Pledge code 3672
United Way CFC Code 15984
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GENTILLY PREPARES FOR RECOVERY IMPACT
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 Beacon of Hope Resource Center urges residents to unite and rebuild by launching
Operation Impact Gentilly on May 16th, 2009.
Over the last three years, we have developed a Neighborhood
Revitalization Model which has been implemented in each Beacon location's
neighborhood and have experienced visible improvements and positive, documented
outcomes in those areas. This Model provides
the foundation and guidelines for revitalizing struggling neighborhoods. We
have created Neighborhood Impact Workshops to engage more neighborhoods in
adopting the model. At the Workshops, seasoned
and experienced Beacon leaders and city officials guide residents through each
step of the recovery process, lead specialized sessions, and unite
neighborhoods.
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Operation Impact
Gentilly was our first Neighborhood Impact Workshop held on May 16th,
2009 at the Edgewater
Baptist Church
in Gentilly.
The Workshop's sessions were led by experienced
leaders to teach the Beacon structure and train Gentilly residents on how to
fight blight, handle Road Home and NORA properties, address safety concerns,
coordinate volunteers, beautify their neighborhoods, implement Block Captain
systems and committees, and become Beacon Administrators.
Representing 14 of 22 Gentilly neighborhoods, participants found our
speakers engaging and informative. Many of the sessions ran over the designated
hour. Since then, we have met with 3 Association Presidents interested in opening Beacons in
their neighborhoods, with additional meetings still scheduled.
Beacon Volunteers have been working with Gentilly residents for the last 14 months on
projects throughout the area, creating public green spaces and assisting
 residents, faith based groups, and businesses with rebuilding.
To further engage residents, we will begin holding smaller neighborhood
workshops.
Beacon of Hope Resource
Center's message to
Gentilly is clear. Everyone has something to contribute. You can be part of the
solution and you can make a difference.
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Beacon of Hope Opens a New Beacon in Paris Oaks Neighborhood.
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 The Beacon of Hope Resource
Center is proud to announce the opening of a new Beacon in the Paris Oaks neighborhood in Gentilly. Marva Adams, President of Gentilly Oaks and 40
of her neighbors, adopted the Beacon of Hope Neighborhood Revitalization Model, and assigned residents to teams. They are all in place and fully staffed.
Marva is the
new Paris Oaks Beacon Administrator. If you live in Paris Oaks and would like to assist in the formation of this Beacon or need assistance in your recovery, please contact Marva at
The
Paris Oaks Beacon is the first of many more opening in the next
four months as Beacon of Hope expands its services further into Gentilly. |
Harrison Avenue Marketplace expands into Gentilly and New Orleans East.
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Beacon of Hope Resource
Center is proud to announce
that Harrison Avenue Marketplace is being duplicated in Gentilly and in New Orleans
East through partnerships with the Gentilly Fest Marketplace and the Renaissance
Marketplace of Eastern New Orleans.
We established Harrison
Avenue Marketplace, an ongoing outdoor market, featuring local restaurants,
arts and crafts, family entertainment, and live music, which hosts 72 vendors
and attracts over 3,000 attendees per event. Economic studies of the Harrison
Avenue Marketplace by Marketumbrella.org and University of New Orleans
show an approximate $3.6 million direct economic impact over a two year period,
helping Lakeview area businesses attain pre-Katrina revenue. We hope to see similar or better results with
these new Marketplaces.
 The first Gentilly
Fest Marketplace was held on June 5, 2009 at the Oak Park Shopping Center
located at the corner of Paris Ave
and Mirabeau Ave.
It was a great success with over 1500 people and 65 venders. Beacon of Hope Resource
Center had a booth, where
34 residents registered to volunteer and 17 work requests were turned in. Upcoming Gentilly Fest Marketplace dates are
July 3, August 7, and September 4, 2009 from 4:00 P.M to 8:00 P.M. For
more information, visit www.gentillyfest.org, or call the Gentilly Fest
Marketplace Chair, Maria Mercedes Tio at 504.236.3806.
The first Renaissance
Marketplace of Eastern New Orleans will be held at the Lowes at 5770 Read Blvd, on June 27, 2009 from 4:00 P.M to 8:00 P.M. It will also be held on July
25, August 22,  September 26, October 24, and November 21, 2009.
We look forward
to seeing you at these Marketplaces while Harrison Avenue Marketplace is on
summer hiatus. Harrison Avenue
Marketplace's Fall schedule starts on August 12, 2009 at 801 Harrison Avenue, from 5:00 to 8:00
P.M. It will continue every 2nd
Wednesday of the month, on September 19, October 14, November 11, and December
9, 2009.
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In April, a group of managers from Country Inn and Suites hotel chain teamed up with Beacon of Hope to change the life of
a local New Orleans
family. Continuing the efforts of groups before them, the Carlson team put the
finishing touches on a true family project. 
chapter in the Gentilly family's
return home. As the day came to a close, the team of volunteers had one more surprise in store for the family; a gift that will remind them of their
strength through this trial. Everyone gathered around as a hole was
dug in the front yard of each home and a small tree was planted. The emotions
of the day could be summed up best in the excitement of Mr
s. Gibson's grandson
as he joined the volunteers in the tree planting effort. He told the volunteers
that he had received a new shovel for Easter and he was so excited to finally use
it!