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WAYS TO HELP

OUR GROUPS

HOW WE HELP

Our Impact

DISASTER RESOURCES​

When disasters happen, we are here to help communities get back on their feet.

Recovery starts with neighbors helping neighbors. 

While Tropical Storm Arthur’s impacts appear localized across Southeast Louisiana, area officials continue to assess damage. For families who lost a home, vehicle or belongings, the personal impact is significant. 

Ways to Help

Be Prepared.

Taking a few simple steps today can help protect your family, home, and loved ones before severe weather arrives.
 
Explore our disaster preparedness tips, take steps to protect your home from flooding, review your family emergency plan, and more.
Severe Weather Prep Guide
Resources in Your Community

WHERE THERE'S A NEED, THERE'S ALWAYS A
UNITED WAY

United Way of Southeast Louisiana is here before, during, and after disasters. When a disaster strikes, your gift helps families get back in their homes, rebuild schools and businesses, and give our vulnerable neighbors the care they need. United Way works with local organizations to thoughtfully build strategies to create resilient communities.

DISASTER RESOURCES

STAY PREPARED

United Way SELA encourages residents to dial 211 to access up-to-date information and available recovery services from local partners and government agencies in their respective parishes. A toll-free call to 211 will connect residents to a community resources specialist who will help pinpoint critical aid available locally.

VIEW THE LOUISIANA EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS GUIDE

DISASTER PREPAREDNESS WORKSHOPS

In partnership with Verizon, our Disaster Preparedness Workshops gave participants the opportunity to receive hands-on training, create personalized emergency plans, and gain access to vital resources to stay safe this hurricane season.

Now, you can benefit from the same expert guidance. Watch the 2025 workshop and get storm-ready today.

Upcoming Workshops

2025 Disaster Preparedness Workshop

Workshop Handouts
Everyone that spoke was very informative and gave great info for future hurricanes and how to handle it.

~Workshop Participant

In July 2024, UWSELA and Verizon partnered to deploy a pilot of Hyfi’s innovative stormwater detection sensors in New Orleans, the first U.S. market to benefit. These workshops are bridging the gap between official emergency responses and community preparedness, furthering the organizations’ commitment to empowering self-reliance before emergencies.

RESILIENCY CENTER

Redefining Resilience

The United Way of Southeast Louisiana Resiliency Center founded by Rebuilding Together New Orleans, is a permanent home for disaster preparedness, response, and recovery efforts in our region. This storm-hardened headquarters for RTNO brings leading nonprofits together under one roof to better serve families before, during, and after disasters.

United Way of Southeast Louisiana has more than a century of experience supporting our neighbors in times of crisis. We mobilize resources quickly and efficiently to meet urgent needs while helping families recover and rebuild.

Learn more about the Resiliency Center

Helena Moreno

Campaign Email:  letsgo@helenamorenola.com
Contact Phone Number:  (504) 655-2878


Campaign Website and Social Media Handles
www.helenamorenola.com
@HelenamorenoHQ  |  @helenamorenola

Commitment: If elected, would you dedicate additional funding in the City budget for early care and education?

Yes.

If so, how would you prioritize it in the budget?

Both in the state legislature and city council, I’ve been a strong supporter of bringing early childhood education to New Orleans. In 2018, we allocated the first $1.5M in city funds for additional seats. As Council President, we doubled that to $3M. I was the lead author to put the pre-k millage on the ballot, providing millions more. I will continue this work as mayor. As for additional funding for pre-k, is there anything more important? We have demonstrated to the public that local government can make progress on this issue with increased resources. There are competing priorities, especially when it comes to drainage, but our kids desperately need pre-k, and so do our parents, who are under pressure to be both caregiver and financial provider.

Commitment:  If elected, will you use your power and platform to advocate at the state and federal levels for sustained early childhood funding? If yes, please describe the specific actions you will take to do this.

Yes.

Every leader at the local, state, and federal levels should be working together to provide high-quality early childhood education to our young people. I will always shout from the rooftops about the enormous benefits of Head Start and pre-k, along with Medicaid, SNAP, public housing, and kids’ programming on PBS. As mayor, I will lead a broad intergovernmental relations effort with constant coordination between city leadership, the legislative delegation, and advocates. I don’t think anyone is listening, for now, but that can change. More broadly, this is why the mayoral election is so important. New Orleans needs to stand on its own two feet. No one is coming to rescue us, so we must be strong in the face of unprecedented economic, environmental, and political headwinds.

Commitment: If elected, will you commit to ensuring our early care and education providers can keep their doors open, grow their business, pay a living wage to their teachers, and help ensure families and educators can continue to afford to live in the city? If yes, please describe the specific actions you will take to do this.

Yes.

Child care providers will have a strong supporter in the mayor’s office when I am elected. Our city hall will serve as a hub, connecting needs and resources, with a focus on streamlining red tape for critical service providers, such as those offering child care. It is not enough to have more early childhood seats; we need quality. Even at current levels of local and state funding, pre-K early education programs exist in an environment where low wages are the norm and facilities are often in disrepair. The current climate at the state and federal levels may preclude additional funds. Yet, at the local level, as I mentioned earlier, is there anything more important than pre-k? We have demonstrated to the public that local government can make progress on this issue with increased resources.

Commitment: If elected, would you commit to ensuring essential local workers – including those in city government – can access childcare through local providers, and that private sector employers do their part in ensuring their employees can access the childcare they need to work, be productive, and grow our economy? If yes, please elaborate on how you would fulfill this commitment.

Yes.

I will always advocate amongst employers and at the state level for a real-living wage that can provide for a family. In workplaces across New Orleans and at city hall, I see parents working double time, struggling to keep up due to a lack of child care. Part of the answer is more public school seats for children aged 6 months to 4 years old. For older kids, I want NORD to do more. A lot more. I have been a leader in expanding NORD’s budget to record highs. Now the goal is to maximize services during non-school hours. Summer enrichment is especially crucial to prevent any backslide. In short, I want to usher in a NORD Renaissance, especially after school. This would go a long way, especially for working parents who need a few more critical hours of support before they can leave work.

Commitment: If elected, will you commit to maintaining this office and protecting these investments?

Yes.

How will you ensure these efforts are sustained beyond your term and are prioritized in future budgets?

Yes. I helped lead the effort for early childhood education with Agenda for Children, and I will commit to maintaining and protecting these early childhood investments. They were hard won, and we cannot lose them. If anything, we need an expansion, which will be the key subject of future budgets, which must balance ALL the city’s needs. The bottom line: we must support families, or else they will simply leave, and New Orleans will not have a future.