With many new faces at the Loyola University Community Action Program meeting Sept. 10, the student organization is shaping up to have a strong presence in the New Orleans philanthropic scene this semester.
Project leaders introduced themselves to new members at the meeting to start working on plans for this semester’s projects, which fall under three different categories: physical rebuilding of homes in the greater New Orleans area, education and advocacy, said Kathleen Warner, Spanish junior and LUCAP chairperson.
The rebuilding projects include Shrockin’, which works with the St. Bernard Project to rebuild hurricane-stricken homes in St. Bernard Parish; Habitat for Humanity, which works in Slidell and Students Moving Into The Lives of the Elderly, which visits senior citizens at the Uptown Shepherd’s Center, an activities center for the elderly.
Students that want to contribute to education projects can join Children Are Reason Enough, a group that tutors children at the Israelite Baptist Church. Brassroots is a music tutoring program especially designed for Music Education majors or musically inclined students, although all students are welcome to participate. Members of Brassroots help teach music to band students at Sophie B. Wright Middle School.
A new project of LUCAP advocates the rights of immigrant workers in New Orleans, Warner said. With the influx of Latin American immigrants after Hurricane Katrina, street corners and convenience store parking lots started filling up with unemployed immigrants looking for work from contractors, and with that came the abuse of their services. LUCAP members go to these sites and hand out bilingual pamphlets that contain information about workers’ rights and proper equipment necessary for hazardous jobs. They also seek to make sure contractors are adhering to these rights and providing safe conditions for workers.
The Environmental Action Program, another advocacy project within LUCAP, has many ambitions for the academic year. The three chairpersons of the EAP are Sunshine Bond, Spanish senior; Shaina Chimes, psychology senior and Chad Carson, political science sophomore. They decide on themes each month with which to correspond their activities. September’s theme is vegetarianism, October is currently undecided and November will be environmental education.
On Sept. 30 at 10 a.m., starting at the corner of Canal Street and Jefferson Davis Parkway, the Farm Sanctuary, a national animal rights and awareness organization, is sponsoring the Walk for Farm Animals fundraiser, which supports their efforts in animal rescue and protection. Bond said she hopes EAP members and other Loyola students will participate in this walk.
Working with the Gulf Restoration Network, the EAP has accomplished its major goal of persuading Wal-Mart to discontinue selling cypress mulch. Cypress trees are an asset to the sustenance of the coastal wetlands. Through persistently making phone calls and demonstrations and writing petitions, the effect is a step forward in wetland conservation and awareness, Bond said.
Twelve students attended the EAP meeting, and Bond hopes the number will continue to increase. The meetings are held in the LUCAP office, located in the Underground and are Tuesdays from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.
Contact Info:Sally Tunmer can be reached at [email protected].
