* If you/your student previously attended a trip
New Orleans, known as "The Big Easy," is a city that knows how to let the good times roll. This colorful, vibrant community boasts some of the greatest entertainment and finest cuisine in the country – if not the world – with influences from Cajun, Creole and French cultures among many others. The unique culture of New Orleans is revealed in the likes of jambalaya, gumbo, beignets and cafe au lait, jazz, blues, spanish moss, street cars, and parades. The people of New Orleans know how to do community and they know how to celebrate – even funerals become parties in NOLA! But its location on the Gulf of Mexico with much of the city sitting below sea level makes New Orleans especially vulnerable to damage from hurricanes. When Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005, the city was damaged by the initial storm and devastated by the flood that followed when the Mississippi River levees broke. But this city and its people have been remarkably resilient with many returning to rebuild after the storm -- those who did have been joined by others wanting to be part of the rebirth of this city, and New Orleans has come back to life in a beautiful way. The city continues to struggle with poverty, homelessness, high crime rates, under-resourced schools, and high rates of depression.
Nicknamed “The Big Easy,” New Orleans is known for its colorful, vibrant culture where everything is a party. New Orleans prides itself on its cuisine, jazz and blues music, its historic city landscape, and beautiful natural resources. Despite these positive aspects that bring tourists to New Orleans year-round, the city’s reputation is still dominated by the impact of Hurricane Katrina. The city has recovered since the storm, but the impact is still evident. Recently, New Orleans has turned its attention to the dynamic and systemic challenges faced by many large urban communities. YouthWorks has had a consistent presence in New Orleans since 2001. We have seen the city at its best before Katrina and walked through the struggles with the community in the aftermath. In more recent summers, YouthWorks has partnered with organizations as they seek to meet the everyday needs of the community. We partner with children’s programs, homeless ministries, organizations serving adults with disabilities and elderly care services to provide extra hands for the on-going service to the people of the city.