volunteer information and faq
Thank you for your interest in volunteering for lowernine.org! Please review the volunteer handbook and the below summary and FAQs for information abount volunteering. You can contact lowernine.org’s volunteer coordinator at volunteer@lowernine.org if you have additional questions! Then head on over to our application to sign up.
The vast majority of lowernine.org’s work is residential construction in the Lower Ninth Ward, including but not limited to the following: carpentry; electrical wiring; plumbing; roofing; framing; installing insulation; hanging, taping, mudding or sanding sheetrock; tiling; painting; installing windows and doors; installing bathroom fixtures; installing kitchen cabinets and counters; and gardening/landscaping. We cannot tell you ahead of time what you will be doing, but all our projects are guaranteed to contribute in some way to the rebuilding efforts of our neighborhood. We also operate a food pantry, and there is work associated with that service. If you want to contribute in other ways, please see our opportunities page for alternative volunteering options.
Our service schedule is Tuesday – Saturday from 8:00am – 4:30pm. New volunteer orientations typically take place on the first day of work, and we debrief all other workday mornings. If you are staying in-house, please coordinate your arrival time with our volunteer coordinator Jess at volunteer@lowernine.org. We cannot accept late-night arrivals to the volunteer house. We typically ask that individuals and groups dedicate at least one full day of service, but we are flexible and will work with you! Groups of students 14 – 18 years old must have 1 chaperone on site for every 5 students in the group. Volunteers must be at least 14 years old.
We do charge fees to volunteer. These funds equate to roughly one third of our annual operating budget, and enable us to continue providing services to our community. Please email volunteer@lowernine.org for fee structure information.
Our volunteer house, built in 2023 and located at 1739 jourdan avenue, is also home to our office, community space, and food pantry. The volunteer living space features four bedrooms, each with its own full bath, a full kitchen, and communal living space. The upkeep and maintenance of this space is the shared responsibility of all who stay with us. Food shopping and meal preparation is also a shared task.
Please review the volunteer handbook and the below FAQs for even more information. You can contact our coordinator at volunteer@lowernine.org if you have additional questions.
volunteer faq (frequently asked questions)
lowernine.org is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to the long-term recovery of the Lower Ninth Ward in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and the associated levee breaches of 2005. We use volunteer labor under skilled supervision to build and repair homes in the neighborhood for pre-Katrina (legacy) residents. We also operate a food pantry here in the community that is open to all.
Due to its proximity to the Industrial Canal, the Lower Ninth Ward was one of the hardest-hit communities in the Gulf Coast region during Hurricane Katrina and the ensuing levee breaches. Rebuilding has lagged far behind other neighborhoods due to institutionalized racism, poverty, the scale of the devastation, contractor fraud, and local, state and federal government inaction. Recovery has been slow, blight remains prevalent, and population return is significantly lower than the rest of the city. As of the 2020 census, Lower Ninth Ward population “return “was only just slightly over 30%, lagging far behind the rest of the City of New Orleans. This statistic does not capture the fact that much of the population “return” is actually newcomers to the neighborhood and gentrification.
The Lower Ninth Ward is an at-risk community, as are many low-wealth neighborhoods in America. However, catastrophic flooding following Hurricane Katrina was the result of poorly built and poorly maintained federal levees. Katrina did not “hit” New Orleans – it made landfall in Florida, South Louisiana, and coastal Mississippi to the east – it was the failure of the levees to contain the storm surge that flooded 80% of New Orleans in 2005. Rebuilding this flood protection system with improved engineering has greatly reduced the risk of flood to our city. For more information about the federal levee system not just in New Orleans, but across the country, please visit our friends at levees.org. Lower Ninth Ward residents should have right of return just like any other areas that sustained damage.
Follow the steps outlined on our volunteer page. We’d love to have you!
We encourage volunteers from outside of New Orleans to stay in our volunteer house. Past residents of our volunteer house have said that staying with us helped them feel more connected to their fellow volunteers and to the residents of the Lower Ninth Ward. Individual and group accommodations are available. You must be 18 or older to stay in our house.
Our volunteer house, completed in 2023 and located at 1739 jourdan avenue, is also home to our office, community space, and food pantry. The volunteer living space features four bedrooms, each with its own full bath; a full kitchen, and communal living space. The upkeep and maintenance of the house is the shared responsibility of all who stay with us. Food shopping and meal preparation is also a shared task.
Please contact volunteer@lowernine.org to inquire about specific fee amounts, but all volunteers are asked to contribute a project fee, which helps to cover expenses associated with project coordination and supervision, as well as materials, fuel, safety equipment, insurance, and tool and vehicle maintenance. You are also expected to pay your own transportation costs. If you choose to stay in our volunteer house, there is a housing fee to help offset the costs of three meals a day, house utilities, and maintenance as well as project expenses. This fee is reduced after 3 weeks, and is eliminated entirely if you stay with us beyond 3 months. Fees may be negotiated for locals and individuals willing to commit to additional responsibilities for 3 months or more (see our opportunities page). Fees are due in full one month before your arrival – your space in our house and on our project schedule will not be reserved until they have been received. All payments must be submitted via PayPal. We regret that we are unable to refund volunteer fees, so encourage you to be sure of your commitment prior to payment.
Volunteers between the ages of 14-17 are welcome to serve with their parents, or as members of chaperoned groups – we require a minimum adult to teen ratio of 1 to 5. In order to be counted as a chaperone, you must be at least 21 years of age, and willing to be legally responsible for up to 5 teens throughout the work day. We ask that chaperones supervise and encourage younger volunteers on work sites. We are generally unable to work with volunteers under the age of 14, but may make exceptions for families who wish to serve together.
Yes, absolutely. Our food pantry can use individual volunteers for shorter shifts, but typically a full day of service is required. As our project model is based upon training unskilled volunteers in residential construction, the longer you serve, the better able you will be to learn and use construction skills.
Given enough notice, we can usually accommodate any size group. Please email laura@lowernine.org if you want to bring a large group, and we will discuss logistics.
We work Tuesday – Saturday at residential construction sites from 8:00 until 4:30, with a one hour lunch break at noon. Saturdays at the food pantry are 9:00 until 2:00, but do not have a set break scheduled. All volunteers staying offsite are expected at our headquarters by 8:00 each workday. We debrief every morning before we head to work sites, and meet at the end of every work day to debrief. Group meeting times may vary.
Four volunteers can strip and fully replace a shingle roof in about five days, or insulate and sheet rock an average-sized room in two. Volunteers who don’t have any construction experience will be amazed at how quickly a project can come together, but quality of work product always comes before haste.
lowernine.org works on projects year-round. Our busiest times are during school breaks: the end of December through late January, late February through mid-April and May through June. So if you’re really flexible, we can definitely use your help during slower times. If your schedule is flexible, let us know, and we’ll tell you when we need you most!
New Orleans is a world-famous city for good reason! Our staff and long-term volunteers are always happy to make must see/must do/must eat recommendations. Louisiana drinking age is 21, and marijuana is not legal. Enjoy our city responsibly.
From July to September you can expect hot, humid conditions – temperatures range in the 90’s* with a chance of thunderstorms nearly every day. October to December starts to cool down, with lower humidity. January through April is unpredictable – temperatures can vary widely, but it is a temperate time of year for the most part. Check weather conditions in New Orleans in the days leading up to your trip. Hurricane season in Louisiana is June 1st – November 30th, with peak risk mid-September. In the event of a major storm warning, you may be responsible for your own evacuation, but know that we will make every effort to keep you safe at all times. *temperatures in the United States are in degrees Fahrenheit.
As is true in most American cities, the chances of serious harm coming to the average person is low. However, New Orleans does have one of the country’s higher crime rates – you do need to be aware of your surroundings and not take risks. See above for Louisiana state laws concerning drug and alcohol use. Volunteers, of any age, may not engage in behaviors that may put them, the organization, or the community at risk.
Because it’s the right thing to do – and it’s fun! New Orleans is arguably the most culturally important city in America, but its people have long been victims of oppression in various forms. Even before Hurricane Katrina and the levee breaches of 2005, economic opportunity, basic services and infrastructure, and social equality lagged far behind other cities in America. We have a chance, now, to build a solid foundation upon which the residents of the Lower Ninth Ward can continue to recover, and rebuild their community stronger than ever before.