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WJU Continues to Help With Hurricane Katrina Relief Efforts
| More info on '06-07 events... |
Click the link below to view a short video overview of our spring break 2007 Hurricane Katrina Relief service immersion trip to New Orleans, LA. The SSAC has coordinated 6 service immersion trips to the battered gulf coast since January 2006. This video was put together by Mr. Joshua Elek, Housing and Residence Life staff and two time Hurrican Relief trip coordinator. Watch the video. |
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The Service for Social Action Center (SSAC) at Wheeling Jesuit University sponsors regular trips to New Orleans, LA in an effort to help the people of New Orleans rebuild their shattered lives. The SSAC works in partnership with Catholic Charities of New Orleans as well as the New Orleans Province of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) in planning our service work and community engagement activities while on the ground in New Orleans. We work with Catholic Charities to help clean out and gut the homes of poor, elderly and disabled folks that don't have the money or the means to rebuild on their own. Thus far we have sponsored four service immersion trips to the city of New Orleans and hope to continue this great ministry through the generosity of those that donate to the trips, through the support of our campus community and through the passion of our students and staff.
If you are a student interested in volunteering or a community partner interested in helping support our efforts, please feel free to contact the SSAC at
304-243-8728.
"Each time students are offered the opportunity to travel to New Orleans to work on Hurricane Katrina recovery, the growing interest in participation astounds me. Especially now, more than a year after the devastation occurred and during the holiday season, our students are demonstrating that the Ignatian principle of service among those in need is one they intend to live," notes Dr. Jill Kriesky, SSAC director.
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| Comment from a Freshman - "When we arrived at the work site this morning, the home owners were there waiting to greet us and they hugged and kissed each one of us. They had never even met us before yet they were so grateful for our presence! The home owners never once mentioned how bad life was after Hurricane Katrina and that was amazing to me!" ~ Kelley Buckman
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Listen to student reflections that were captured while on the trip:
Comment from a Sophomore - "This trip has pulled every emotion out of me. The woman who owns the house we were gutting came in today to look at what we had done and it was hard for me to watch her walk around what was left of the house. I can only imagine what was going through her head as she walked around her house that was now torn apart. I almost wish that I could tell her that I was going to put it back together for her - this is very frustrating but the love and generosity of the people of New Orleans and the grace I feel from God keep me going despite the challenges. Thank you God for this opportunity!" ~ Ryan Ferris
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We chat with a New Orleans home owner:
"Today we finished tearing down the walls and ceilings of a house we were working on in New Orleans. The home owner, Evelyn, was so grateful for the work we had done. Once I thought about it, we aren’t constructing homes for people to live in, we are creating opportunities for them to start their lives over and construct something new."
~ Kris Bacon (junior)
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