Phoenix of New Orleans Information

The PHOENIX OF NEW ORLEANS is a federally recognized 501(c) 3 non-profit organization devoted to the rebuilding and recovery effort of New Orleans. PNOLA’s projects mainly occur within the Lower-Mid City district of the 70119 area code. However, we regularly work on cases outside of the immediate area. Founded by Tulane University medical student Paul Ikemire as a rapid response to the decimating affect of the storm and flooding, the organization was created when Ikemire and his neighbors came together to form a governing board and recruit volunteers. Their first mission was to assist in the arduous process of gutting and rebuilding their 120-block community. In early 2006, PNOLA received its non-profit designation and was able to help restore neighborhood services and assist residents with a variety of disaster-related issues. Shortly afterwards, PNOLA’s headquarters was established in the heart of Lower Mid-City and by March, it was in a position to accept its first group of Americorps-sponsored volunteers. Over the next several months, the PNOLA board members along with its AmeriCorps staff recruited hundreds of short-term volunteers. By the year’s end, it had worked together to gut and start rebuilding over 50 homes. Now in our fourth year of operation, PNOLA has: • Recruited 3,800 volunteers from across the U.S., contributing more that 72,000 hours of service. • Gutted 200 properties (including 5 churches, a fire station, and one school). • Performed 73 complete and partial home rebuilding projects. • Generated more than 73,000 AmeriCorps service hours. • Saved homeowners over $2,000,000 in labor costs. • Raised $150,000 in project funding for homeowners. • Planted over 100 trees and cleaned 6 parks/community spaces. • Helped to build 8 playgrounds with KaBOOM! This year our goal is to rebuild 45 houses. Help us make it happen!