UWGNOA ENews

	United Way for the Greater New Orleans Area
	GIVE. ADVOCATE. VOLUNTEER.	ENEWS

	March 2011
	March 2011

Home at Last for Ms. Estelle


Ms. Estelle Cooper-Lee cuts the ribbon on her newly finished home.

We are hard at work moving families home! On Friday, March 25, United Way for the Greater New Orleans Area and United Church of Christ hosted a House Dedication for Ms. Estelle Cooper-Lee.

Ms. Cooper-Lee purchased a house in 2005 - and closed on it 2 weeks before Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans. She was scheduled to move in the weekend that residents were ordered to begin evacuating. Her son was then 8 years old. Because she had yet to move in to her new home when the storm hit, Estelle had a hard time finding a program that could help her get the funding needed to rebuild. Her son is now 13 years old, and they’re finally home.

The United Church of Christ National Disaster Ministries Network links together the United Church of Christ local churches, associations, conferences, national covenanted and affiliated/associated/related bodies, and ecumenical partners to serve as messengers of hope and help communities impacted by catastrophic events, including technological disasters.


From left: Reverend Alan Cole (United Church of Christ); Ms. Estelle Cooper-Lee; Michael Williamson (COO, UWGNOA) and Benita Corley (Project Delivery Director, UWGNOA).

Ms. Cooper-Lee's home is United Way's second house completed in Orleans Parish through the Nonprofit Rebuilding Pilot Program. The program is made possible through the Louisiana Housing Finance Agency and the Office of Community Development Disaster Recovery Unit.

To see all of the photos from Ms. Cooper-Lee’s house dedication, visit www.uwgnoaevents.shutterfly.com

United Way for the Greater New Orleans Area

serving Jefferson, Orleans, Plaquemines,
St. Bernard, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa
and Washington Parishes

2515 Canal Street, New Orleans, LA 70119