Partners
Presbytery of South Louisiana
The New Orleans YAV Program is a mission of the Presbytery of South Louisiana. Below is the list of our present community partners.
Okra Abbey
YMCA YES!
The Okra Abbey is one of the PCUSA's new 1001 Worshiping Communities. It is a worshiping community in a Community Garden. As a YAV you will commit your time and talents in hopes that the food produced and the sacred space created in the garden will provide both physical and spiritual nourishment to the local community - especially those who are hungry and in need.
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*This Site placement is supported by the Saint Charles Avenue Presbyterian Church.
YMCA YES! is an Adult education and tutoring program. YAVs work as Adult Literacy Tutors who are responsible for providing small group and one-on-one classes in math, reading, and language mechanics. YAVs learn how to do lesson planning for his or her own students under the supervision of the head instructor.
GNO Interfaith Climate Coalition
The Greater New Orleans Interfaith Climate Coalition acts as a catalyst to educate, empower, engage, and equip faith leaders and communities to meet our moral, ethical, and spiritual responsibility to establish climate justice and promote care of the Earth, and all that dwell here, through a faith and reason perspective for a healthy world.
“My students have walked through hardships that I cannot fathom and end up on the other side; I frequently question why such wonderful, dedicated students are given such hard tasks in life. It made me question so much in my year in New Orleans because I see poverty, homelessness, unemployment, and the aftereffects of incarceration everyday. However, as I have progressed, I think I have grown to see that my students are so much stronger than I think I will ever be. They have pushed my comfort level, they have opened my eyes to the injustice in the world, and they show me everyday why teaching is my passion.” -Jocelyn Kirk-
Project Ishmael
First Grace Community Alliance's mission is to work with and for people in need, especially women and children, by meeting food, housing and other emergency needs, while simultaneously challenging systemic poverty in the greater New Orleans area. The two main programs are Hagar's House and Project Ishmael.
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“All of these things – growing food, sharing meals and helping others in need – contribute to building healthy relationships with people. I know that if I take nothing else away from my time as a YAV in New Orleans, I will cherish the relationships that were formed." -Vincent Grossi
Mid City Ministries
Mid-City Ministries is an after school tutoring program. Their mission is to form long-term relationships with underserved children, teens, and their families in the mid-city community. Mid City Ministries provides specific services which assist the academic, social, emotional and spiritual development of their students. Mid City's ultimate vision is for their students to grow into adults equipped for a positive future and motivated to use their gifts to serve a larger community.
“At MidCity Ministries I have come to love working with the children, especially the youngest kids. I have tutored kids. I have developed lesson plans for all ages. I have filled in as a supervisor of the entire tutoring program. I have come home exhausted from putting up with unruly middle-schoolers. I have loved all of it.” -John Kupar
Local Presbyterian Church Missions
At Lakeview Presbyterian Church, Jefferson Presbyterian Church, and St Charles Avenue Presbyterian Church, YAVs participate in shared community ministries - Program of Hope, Jefferson Food Bank, LAMP, RHINO, and other mission outposts. Faith and leadership development projects engage all YAVs with the life of New Orleans' area churches. Certain YAVs serve and coordinate volunteers via these churches' community ministries on a weekly basis.
"I organize events for church members and create opportunities for members to experience mission and new parts of New Orleans. I also get to meet with partner organizations all over the city . Lakeview has provided a great space for learning about New Orleans and Volunteer Coordination."-Haley Ingram
Eden House
Eden House offers a 2 year residential program to adult female victims of human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation by offering holistic care to each woman. The Goal of Eden House is for each woman to be an empowered self-sustaining individual equipped with the necessary tools to contribute to the New Orleans Community and to achieve economic and emotional independence. The YAV Placed with Eden House is a integral member of the team
"I am learning about how to work with victims of trauma and the issues that usually arise with trauma, such as addiction, mental illness, and homelessness. There is no better place than Eden House to learn about the tragedy that is human trafficking, and the sadness that surrounds its victims." -Courtney Lauver