To the editor,

Catholic Charities’ operation attempting to move New Orleans residents back into their homes has more than 1,000 homeowners and their families waiting for us to gut their house. Moreover, our voice mailbox is consistently full, and we are two weeks behind returning phone calls to others needing their homes gutted. We need volunteers.

College students have free time. There are few valid excuses for not volunteering to help your neighbors. New Orleans is its people, and until they are back, the city will not be the same. Venture outside your fake world of comfort across South Carrollton to Hollygrove, or walk down Audubon Boulevard and see the devastation from Katrina persists.

Loyola claims a commitment to social justice, but the rhetoric outweighs the action, and the apathy and indifference amounts to immoral negligence. What excuse is there for ignoring your neighbors’ cries for help? Gutting houses might not be good for your health? I’m glad firemen don’t think that way. Smoking, drunk driving, promiscuous and/or unprotected sex, walking at night, tanning salons, drinking excessively, habitual drug use, not wearing sunscreen, and drinking diet soda pose health risks. Gutting houses once a week is not going to kill you any more than your other vices. At least this way you’re doing some good.

Need transportation? Call me, (314) 973-7298. I’ll give you a ride. Work hard and I’ll buy you a beer. Living in New Orleans right now is an incredible opportunity to help rebuild one of America’s most historically and culturally significant cities. Gutting houses will make you a stronger, better person. You’ll learn more about yourself than you would partying or studying. You’ll meet some of the coolest people with some of the most amazing stories and you’ll see parts of this city you didn’t know existed. Volunteers from around the country take off work and pay to come help us. Yet only one Loyola student volunteers.

You’re better than this, Loyola. Volunteer on Saturdays. Professors, offer extra credit to volunteers. Require community service. There’s more to New Orleans than the Garden District and French Quarter. Most people are still suffering the effects of Katrina. Be a part of New Orleans history, or in 30 years tell people how you lived in this city at its greatest time of need, and you did absolutely nothing to help.

Mark Lamb ’06

Americorps Team Member/ Catholic Charities Site Supervisor