Some continued their cleanup efforts in the lower ninth district (one of the poorest and hardest hit areas), battling heat, bees, fire ants, foot high grass, and overgrown lots that haven't been worked on in nearly five years. 

Others worked to revitalize churches and private homes that are still struggling to be inhabitable. And we all got a closer look at the lives of grateful Katrina survivors as they shared their horrific, occasionally humorous, and always moving stories of how this disaster has impacted their lives. 

Some of the comments from tonight's panel of hurricane survivors and first responders include:

o    I kissed the floor because I didn't lose everything and then I kicked the wall because I didn't lose enough (from a woman who was able to return to her nearly wiped out neighborhood when most of her neighbors and friends could not)

o    You are all going to have a Katrina experience in your life, just know that you can turn it around and be better and stronger than you thought possible

And lastly, in appreciation for the efforts of the participants in this program…

o    You may not be the first responders, you may not be the second responders, but you are the long time responders - thank you!

Jessica Pegram has put together some thoughts on her experience in New Orleans and here they are…

Today was the last day of our service projects and it was a hot one! I went with 3 buses to the lower Ninth Ward to remove overgrown grass from people’s yards.

The city is charging people $100 per day if they have overgrown yards and if the situation continues and the city feels the fines will not be recovered, the property will be taken from the owner. Our job was to remove what we could so that these individuals will stop being charged and hopefully be able to get back to their property and fix their house.

Along the way we passed several of the homes that Brad Pitt has built. See a couple of the photos attached – very cool, modern design that will also keep the homes safe during future hurricanes. The kids worked very hard despite being very tired after a couple days of service and hot weather. We were all very proud of them and all of their giving attitudes!

The speakers at our evening event were amazing! There was a panel of Katrina survivors ranging from victim to rescuer to current day neighborhood hero. I think I speak for everyone when I say that we were blown away by their stories. For one, it was the first time telling her story and she entertained us all with her horrific, and sometimes humorous, tale.

I think the past few days have showed us what really went on down here, how horrible it was and still is, and what these people continue to struggle with.

The list of challenges and struggles grows by the day as we meet more survivors and I think we all wear what happened heavier on our hearts now. Despite the sweaty days, bee stings, cuts, sunburns, and tiredness I think we have grown in our appreciation for New Orleans and the people.

This city is the hero to us and any of the struggles we may face and we will think of them for months and years to come as we face our challenges and realize what all of the people here made it through.

 Tomorrow it's a taste of New Orleans culture with a plantation visit, a bayou tour in airboats, and a Mardi Gras style celebration!

My exposure to that effort came at the home of Tim and Karen Parsons.  Like so many, the Parsons' are still in the process of rebuilding after their neighborhood was submerged in 10 feet of water.  After volunteering for a mold study to be conducted in their home, Tim and Karen learned that they had at least 11 types of mold…none of them good and at least three that were potentially dangerous.  That's when they decided to tear it down and start over.  They had no idea how complicated the process would be or how long it would actually take. 

 The initial hurdles in building their new home included new flood insurance to accommodate the new height of the flooring (which required cancelling the old policy and creating a new one and resulted in a period of time in which they have no coverage - too much to go in to here), adhering to recently established building guidelines, design plans, a change in architects, and all kinds of I's to dot and T's to cross along the way. 

 Four years and who knows how many challenges and disappointments later they finally broke ground in November of 2009.  Fortunately, Tim did some construction in college so he is overseeing the project and our team of delegates along with leader Val Fellersen agrees that he's a great foreman. 

 In the two days that People to People Ambassador Programs delegation members have been working with Tim they've installed insulation, excavated many wheelbarrows full of earth from under the house, separated old bricks and cement from the dirt that is becoming new landscaping along the side and back of the house, and helped bring the Parsons much closer to being able to move into their new home.

 Tim is a gentle man that quickly admits to having grown a lot from this experience and was happy to declare that he and his family have not been defined by this experience. 

 Tomorrow, Val and her team will return for a third and final day working with Tim and I have a strong sense that their goodbyes will be heartfelt and the entire experience life changing.

 Tonight's speaker was the much anticipated, Spike Lee!  The students, leaders, and program staff were all excited to hear from this influential filmmaker and he didn't disappoint. 

 He talked about how filmmaking actually picked him, why he chooses the projects he does, how important it is to work hard for what you want in life and not to choose a profession based solely on the money you may earn.  Spike also showed footage from his documentary on Katrina that will air in two parts on HBO, August 23 and 24, as well as his current project on the BP oil spill. 

I have to admit, he really got me thinking and by the questions asked during a lengthy Q&A session I'd say he had the same affect on our delegates. 

 Whew…another packed day!

Our buses took some of us to an elementary school to paint, clean, organize, and prepare a rundown building to embrace young minds in an environment conducive to learning.  Others were taken to an animal shelter that is home to myriad animals…many displaced during the hurricane five years ago.  And some, including Kelly and Jessica, went to private homes and had the chance to meet with survivors while they helped revive homes and property still showing the signs of Katrina’s wrath.  Attached to this email you’ll find a picture and below is an account from Kelly, in her words…

 Our first serving opportunity:

 Today Jessica and I, along with one group of students and a teacher leader from Florida visited Vivian. Vivian has lived in New Orleans her entire life - except during the time of Katrina. Her husband died two days before the storm and she was evacuated before they were able to hold a funeral.

She has four children - three boys and a girl, and is probably in her 80s. Her daughter and two of her sons live on her same street. She has one son in Missouri and she went to stay with him. She thought she would be gone for a couple days and it turned out to be much longer. When she returned to her block, her home had been in 6 foot of water for four weeks. As had the homes of her daughter and two sons. Interestingly, the home her daughter lives in is the house Vivian was born in. She finally buried her husband in October and the storm hit August 29. 

What our group saw today was a much-improved block, but one still showing signs of the disaster. From her front porch, she sees an empty lot - a reminder of a home completely destroyed. While another lot holds a shell of a house that lists to one side and its inhabitant didn't survive. This is and was a working class neighborhood.

Today our group of 15 helped scrape paint off Vivian's daughter's home, and paint the front porch and railing of Vivian's home. She and her family were extremely friendly and grateful for the help we provided. As we stopped working in between the rain storms that hit us all day, Vivian shared her story - her love of the city, the people and her neighborhood, which could better be described as “family hood.” But, we did just more than paint. We helped rebuild her life and the atmosphere of the neighborhood.

 As we left Vivian's block, completely drenched by the day's rain, each felt satisfied knowing our small part meant something much larger and significant to Vivian's family.

Before the bus picked us up to take us back to campus, we saw Jason Mraz and Peter Fonda lead a peaceful protest about going green and then clapped along with a drum and dance performance steeped in old Louisiana culture. 

After dinner we heard from folks from Tulane University Community Health Center about how they have built a mobile medical care program that has impacted tens of thousands in the aftermath of hurricane Katrina.  That program is still growing and has plans to renovate the building that used to house the headquarters of the Ruth's Chris Steakhouse chain. 

And finally, a talk by Tom Piazza, author of "Why New Orleans Matters" both educated and entertained us.  As we left the auditorium tonight we picked up our NOLA t-shirts and they will be worn on Sunday as the final community service hours of this program are performed.

Today was the perfect introduction to a city that has endured so much devastation.  It was a brilliant way to create a bond between the people on this program and the city and people we are here to serve. 

Tomorrow…we get dirty!

We called up Leah Berger, the Director of Operations for Tulane Community Health Centers to ask her about how the Center felt being selected as the winner. Here's what she had to say.

"We were honored to be included in the Remember NOLA giveaway. There are so many great organizations in the New Orleans area," said Leah. "We were so excited to not only be included, but selected. That being said, I wish everyone could have received the funding. One of the greatest lessons learned from Katrina is that of collaboration and partnership. NOLA couldn't have come back from the brink without all non-profits working together."

Here's a little bit about what Tulane Community Health Centers is about and what the funds will be used for. The focal point of the Health Center is on the uninsured and underinsured in the greater New Orlean's community. The $50,000 will be used to complete the renovation of a 10,000 sq. ft. building that will be the new community health center. The current community health center was created shortly after Hurricane Katrina and is housed in a rented boys dormitory and is only 3,500 sq. ft. The new facility will make it possible to provide preventative medicine and social services to even more patients within the community. The new building is also part of the revitalization of the neighborhood - which is still very necessary and ongoing.

"We are able to provide the right care in the right place in the right time. Pre-Katrina if you were poor or uninsured you only had one option which was not in your neighborhood and didn't always provide the most appropriate care," said Leah. "What we are trying to do is be in the actual neighborhood of need. We offer extended hours, multi-lingual care providers and affordable care, better serving the community as a whole."

Tulane Community Health Center - we love the job you are doing and are so excited about being able to help spread the word about your good works.

And, a last word from Leah and the folks at the Health Center? We have a few...

"Thank you, we know that this was a tough choice to make. To be recognized for what we do is very humbling and encouraging," said Leah. "This will help us continue to make positive strides in the ever changing health needs of our community."

If you were watching the Today Show on NBC this morning, you may have noticed a lot of red badges in the crowd. Don't worry if you missed it, we took pictures! Check out the Facebook page for more.

We were there at 4:45 am this morning at the front of the line and waiting to get a premiere spot. Joined by four great students from Westchester County, New York, who are also People to People student ambassadors, we got the top spot in the audience area - and Matt Lauer noticed. When he went live, he gave us a huge plug! He told the nation that we should not forget New Orleans!

Next stop: Ellen! If Matt hasn't forgotten New Orleans, then Ellen can't either.

Here is a video that we think needs to be shared.  Although it might not have much to do with New Orleans, it tells a story that provides promise for our goal to start a movement.  It looks out of place at first; maybe even awkward.  There might only be a few people, but each one is strong-willed in their commitment.  It then starts to become intriguing to others; even your curiosity is piqued.  Next thing you know you're asking yourself, "Why am I not over there?".  So you stand up, clear the way, and rush to get involved in something fascinating.  What are we talking about?  It's called a movement!

So how exactly do you start a movement then?  You embrace and nurture those who are willing to get involved early.  You share the movement with everyone that means something to you. You jump at daily opportunities to spread the movement.  You aren't afraid to stand alone at the beginning, because you know what will ensue.  You realize that the true leaders of any movement are its supporters.

You are the voice of this movement and it's time to use that voice!  This video is a tribute to you, our most important supporters - thank you for sharing this movement.

That is great, but there are a lot more people out there that we can connect with to show our support for the people of NOLA.  For those that have already shared us with their Facebook friends, we thank you. For those who haven’t, it is one of the easiest ways to spread the word and get everyone connected to our cause!

So click on the “Suggest to Friends” button and invite your Facebook friends to become a fan of the page and also check out our website.

Together, we can show the people of NOLA that they are not forgotten.

For something as important as remembering that we are coming up on the 5th year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, we really hope that we aren’t the only ones doing something.

It looks like we aren't. We recently saw the trailer to Treme. Produced by HBO, the series takes place three months after Hurricane Katrina and delves into the lives of ordinary residents trying to rebuild their lives, their homes and their distinct culture in the aftermath of the hurricane. It looks like it should be really interesting. They hired many local artists and creative people including Tom Piazza, author of the non-fiction book, Why New Orleans Matters. 

So we hope that you check it out and like it. It debuts April 11th on HBO. And if you dare, you can also travel down with People to People Ambassador Programs (in full disclosure, they are the ones that are donating the charity money and created this site) to New Orleans in June. Tom Piazza is one of the speakers there so you can ask him about this movie!

Today we passed the $4K donation mark!  This means that more than 4,000 people are supporting this movement by sharing the NOLA badge.  It's absolutely amazing to see that with your help, we can make this happen.

Here's an uplifting clip we came across the other day and wanted to share.  No matter what we do to help the people of NOLA, it all adds up; but a Quiznos franchise!?!  Leave it to Ellen.

We keep saying that this movement is about people.  It might sound cliché, but it’s true.  People are responding by telling us their stories about helping the people of New Orleans after Katrina and what this movement means to them.  Yesterday, we heard from one person who was a volunteer relief worker 6 weeks after the storm and has volunteered several times since then.

What really warmed our hearts was that she was touched by the fact the we’ve turned the “X” into a symbol of recovery and rebuilding, from a dismal reminder of disaster.  People don’t want to just be reminded of what happened, but want a way to show that there is something positive they can do.

Is there something you want to share with us?  Tell us!  Share your stories about what you’ve done, what you think, and how you have made a difference; that’s what makes this movement special.  Don’t be shy, we want to hear from you.  Plus, there’s a comment box right below
this ;-)

This movement is about people and it doesn't come as a surprise to learn that our message is spreading through social networks. It's an opportunity for people to come together and rally around what they belive in - all without leaving the house. Second only to getting Ellen involved, our next huge opportunity is to show the people of New Orleans 1,000,000 fans saying we've not forgotten!

Help us get 1,000,000 fans on our Facebook page, RememberNOLA. That would be 1,000,000 people all across the world sending the message of hope to NOLA; now that's powerful. Go to our Facebook page and click 'Become a Fan' - then suggest the page to all of your friends!

Click here to visit the RememberNOLA Facebook page.

Keep checking back as we start to share personal stories from the people of NOLA and updates on the progress of this movement. This is about you, us, them, and everyone we come in contact with each day. This is about people. So let's stand up together, as one, to show our support.

New Orleans, we've not forgotton!

With the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina quickly approaching, this is our chance to stand with the people of New Orleans and tell them that we've not forgotten. Although a lot has been done, it’s easy to forget that everything is not right in NOLA – there is a continuing disaster and they cannot be forgotten. 

This blog will act as a voice, for those with great stories of triumph and of loss. We want to hear from you.

Are you a Katrina survivor who wants the world to know what happened? We want to hear it.
Do you have a great idea for spreading the word and showing NOLA how you've not forgotten? We want to hear it.

We will use this blog to update you on the progress being made, on the difference we are all making for New Orleans just by getting involved. So remember download the badge, upload your pic and get involved.  Once you’re in, share this site with your friends and get everyone you know involved.

Together, we will make a difference and show New Orleans that we've truly not forgotten.