lowernine.org welcomes international volunteers!
We love volunteers from all countries, and we want to make sure that getting to and staying in the Lower Ninth Ward is easy and comfortable for both you and us.
Here are a few things to note before you plan to come to Louisiana and volunteer with us:
English language competency – You must be at an intermediate conversational, as well as intermediate comprehension English level to volunteer with lowernine.org. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to learn the names of tools or construction terms as well, as you will need to learn these on the work site.
You must arrive to the volunteer house before 10pm. If your flight arrives later than 9pm, please book a hotel or hostel for your first night and plan to arrive to our house the following day. You will need to arrange transportation from the airport to lowernine.org. Uber/Lyft or taxi will cost approximately $40.
We recommend that you obtain travel insurance for the duration of your service with lowernine.org. Property damage, theft, illness, off-work-site injuries, and travel itinerary changes are not covered by lowernine.org’s insurance, so it is essential that you obtain independent coverage for these events.
We highly recommend that you purchase a SIM card or international talk/text plan while at lowernine.org. The lowernine.org house does have wifi, but it is essential that you are able to communicate in emergency situations, whether or not wifi is available in the immediate vicinity.
You must obtain either a visa or visa waiver before entering the United States. If you will be in the U.S. for less than 90 days, you only need to apply for the Visa Waiver Program through ESTA. If you intend to stay in the country for longer than 90 days, you need to apply for a Visitor Visa B-2. This will allow you to volunteer with us, but will not allow you to earn money while you are in the U.S. We are happy to provide documentation about our organization’s work as needed for visa and visa waiver applications. Please see the state department’s website for more information.