Friends of New Orleans is a private, non-profit, non-partisan, membership organization for people in the U.S. and abroad who care about the region. Our mission is to advocate for New Orleans and its surrounding parishes, inform people of those key issues that are shaping the national debate and decision making of the rebuilding effort, link individuals who want to help with the communities in the devastated areas and motivate people to take part in the rebuilding effort.

1. There is a lot of excitement and energy throughout.  In the words of Tim Williamson, President of Idea Village, the city of New Orleans is an incredible laboratory for social innovation and entrepreneurial spirit.
2. All of these neighborhoods and nonprofits have been able to accomplish amazing things, under incredible stress and with scarce resources and a lack of capacity.   Many have developed cutting edge models for how to do things right and they want to share it with others around the world.  Whether we are talking disaster recovery, citizenry engagement and leadership, economic development, public school reform, green building, arts and science education, or the power of volunteerism, New Orleans is setting the trend for the rest of the nation to follow.
3. Frustration is highest with the State of Louisiana.  While everyone is disgusted with the Mayor's Office, these leaders feel that there is no vision or leadership coming out of Baton Rouge.  Furthermore, they have all said they need resources and training so that they can do their own advocacy at the city, state and federal levels.
4. Their greatest fear right now is that the incredible recovery that is taking place in the region will stall and run out of gas due to: a) the economic downturn, which is affecting their private funding; b) the nightmare of dealing with the City's dysfunctional bureaucracy; and c) the roadblocks to funds promised or controlled by the State.
5. Other observations that must be noted include:
1. The high quality and number of AmeriCorps members now working in the city, and how this program has helped local organizations "leap frog" in their own organizational development, enabling them to expand their reach and level of services in a short period of time.
2. The high number of energetic and enthusiastic volunteers, from across the nation and beyond, that are still pouring into NOLA everyday and whose potential has not been harnessed effectively by local organizations in terms of PR, advocacy and fundraising.
3. The rich knowledge base that exists at the neighborhood level which needs to be shared and spread around the city and beyond.  And the unfortunate tendency of human beings to work in "silos" because they are too stressed, trying to keep their own lives together, or they don't have the time to look around or reach out to others because they are too busy getting the work done in their own back yard.

1. FONO needs to use its incredible "bully pulpit" to put a national spotlight on all the exciting activity that is taking place in New Orleans.  This is the nation's laboratory and a lot of successful and exciting things are happening there now that people need to know about and support.  In addition to putting a spot light on the region, we need to continue linking donors to the neighborhood leaders and the local organizations that are doing important work.
2. FONO needs to work with local and/or national donors to secure funding for an advocacy seminar or series of workshops that will train local leaders how to do effective public advocacy work for their neighborhoods and organizations at the city, state and federal levels.  In addition, FONO needs to find monies for these leaders to hire people that can track local legislation and help them get the information they need to navigate the complicated bureaucracy that stands between them and the government funding they need.
3. FONO needs to work with local and national donors to secure funding for a "Neighborhood Summit" so that leaders from different parts of the region can come together and meet, share information, network, learn and mentor others that have not been able to reach that level of activity yet.  Let's give them the opportunity to come together and let the "magic" happen.
4. FONO needs to work with local and national donors to secure more funding for the internal capacity building of these neighborhood groups and nonprofit organizations.  Whether it is learning how to harness the power of volunteers, do individual fundraising, strategic planning or board governance, they need the funds to be able to learn, hire the staff or technical assistance they need, and get the work done.

To connect with a partner organization, click here.

Greater New Orleans, Inc. (GNO, Inc.)
www.gnoinc.org

The Idea Village
www.ideavillage.org

Kingsley House
www.kingsleyhouse.org

Levees.org
www.levees.org

Market Umbrella
www.marketumbrella.org

Marsh Mission
www.marshmission.com

Neighborhoods Partnership Network (NPN)
www.npnnola.com

New Orleans Center for Creative Arts (NOCCA)
www.nocca.com

New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau
www.neworleanscvb.com

New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation
www.jazzandheritage.org

New Orleans Video Access Center (NOVAC)
www.novacvideo.org

New Schools for New Orleans
newschoolsforneworleans.org

Operation Comeback/PRC
www.prcno.org/programs/operationcomeback/

Parkway Partners Program
parkwaypartnersnola.org

Phoenix of New Orleans
www.pnola.org

Rebuilding Together New Orleans
www.rtno.org

St. Bernard Project
www.stbernardproject.org

Tipitina's Foundation
www.tipitinasfoundation.org

Women of the Storm
www.womenofthestorm.net

To connect with a neighborhood organization, click here.

Friends of New Orleans is proud to support and collaborate with the following local organizations:

Anyway, it's a start.  A big concern is that Ms. Woodka's office (the Federal Coordinator for Gulf Coast Rebuilding) is funded through September of 2009. Tim said that feedback is very promising that it will continue to exist and be funded past September.  Let's keep our fingers crossed.  As Denise remarked, "We need to be patient.  If this is the government's "go to" agency when it comes to New Orleans, I would rather deal with a group of people who want to reach out and listen."

Anne Milling followed up with the following comments back to Denise:  "One of the major problems we all experience is the lack of real "power" in this Gulf Coast office.  If we could get someone like Valerie Jarrett to have coastal restoration and hurricane protection in her portfolio...we might get the ear of the president.  We must go up the food chain and make the administration wake-up to the importance of south Louisiana and coastal restoration to the entire nation."

For more information on the events, click here.

Formed shortly after the storms in November 2005, Citizens for 1 Greater New Orleans is a voice for change and renewal for Greater New Orleans and Louisiana. The group serves as a platform and resource for citizens to take action to rebuild Greater New Orleans. Its founders, a group of citizens who were enraged after the state legislature failed to pass levee board reforms after the storms, have brought about positive regional change.

Citizens of 1 Greater New Orleans will join the other ‘Hero’ award recipients and will be honored before the national media, key leaders and delegates from across the country at events FONO is planning for the Democrat and Republican national conventions in August and September. The events will celebrate New Orleans by offering participants the chance to sample some of Louisiana’s unique music and cuisine, as well as raise awareness about the state of the region three years after hurricanes Katrina and Rita. FONO Board member and actor John Larroquette will host the events, along with John Breaux, James Carville and Donna Brazile at the Democrat convention in Denver, and Billy Tauzin, Tommy Thompson and Mary Matalin at the Republican event in Minneapolis.

Since its construction in the 1960s, the MRGO has destroyed more than 27,000 acres of wetlands that served as a natural storm buffer, and during hurricane Katrina, created a thoroughfare for storm waters into the heart of New Orleans and St. Bernard Parish. Harrison said that the Corps of Engineers was doing the right thing by closing the channel, but emphasized that they needed to finish the job by repairing the damaged area. He urged the audience of mostly congressional staff to not only ask the Corps for their plan for a comprehensive restoration effort, but to also to ensure that the plan received adequate funding. 

Tab Benoit, 2007 Grammy nominee and founder of the nonprofit organization Voice of the Wetlands wrapped up the panel with a plea for urgent action to be taken. A resident of Houma, Louisiana, Tab has long been an advocate for the coast. He stressed that Louisiana has provided much to the nation in terms of seafood, oil and gas, but that this had taken a toll on the state.  The state simply can't wait any longer.   

That evening, FONO and Environmental Defense Fund hosted a "Capitol Hill Bayou Bash" complete with a crawfish boil and show by Tab Benoit at the American Legion. In addition to entertaining the full house with his unique Southern Louisiana music, Tab spoke at length about the issue, and urged the audience to support efforts to preserve and restore the state's wetlands, not only for Louisiana but for the world.

On Saturday, May 3, 2008, at a construction site for local nonprofit St. Bernard Project, Senator Mary Landrieu (D-La.) presented the organization with a Hero of the Storm award for its efforts to help the residents of St. Bernard parish rebuild and move back to their homes post hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The St. Bernard Project has been chosen as the fourth recipient of the award by Friends of New Orleans (FONO), a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit organization that advocates for New Orleans and its surrounding parishes.

The St. Bernard Project was founded in March 2006 by four volunteers committed to the relief effort. Inspired by the spirit and determination of the residents, the volunteers formed the organization to remove barriers that prevented these families from returning home. The organization is dedicated to rebuilding previously gutted houses and uses volunteer labor and donations to purchase building supplies. Currently, the Project is able to rebuild houses in 8-12 weeks for an average supply cost of $10,000-12,000 per house. To date, they have rebuilt 118 homes and, after recognizing a need for counseling, support services and affordable rental housing for seniors and disabled people, are currently developing programs to address these issues.

St. Bernard Project, along with the other Hero of the Storm award recipients, which to date include Tipitina’s Foundation, Fat’s Domino, Women of the Storm and New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation will be honored before the national media, key leaders and delegates from across the country at events FONO is planning for the Democrat and Republican national conventions. The events will celebrate New Orleans by offering participants the chance to sample some of Louisiana’s unique music and cuisine, as well as raise awareness about the state of the region three years after the devastating hurricanes. FONO board member and actor John Larroquette will host the events, along with John Breaux, James Carville and Donna Brazile at the Democrat convention in Denver, and Billy Tauzin, Tommy Thompson and Mary Matalin at the Republican event in Minneapolis.

April 21 - Friends of New Orleans (FONO), a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit organization that advocates for New Orleans and its surrounding parishes, today announced that The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation (NOJHF) will be the third recipient of its Hero of the Storm award. NOJHF, the 501(c)(3) arm of the world famous festival, is being recognized for its outstanding efforts to preserve Louisiana’s local arts culture.  

Through its many festivals, local programs and cultural events, NOJHF supports and uplifts the music, arts, culture and heritage of Louisiana communities. Recognizing the increased importance of preserving Louisiana’s arts community post-Katrina and Rita, the organization grew its Heritage School of Music from one campus to five; established five local festivals to promote the unique culture of the region; and launched several innovative programs. Raisin’ the Roof is one such program, created to help musicians become homeowners. NOJHF’s Sync Up initiative connects independent musicians with professional opportunities around the world, including festival performances and participation in musical score and soundtrack development.

NOJHF is the third organization to be recognized as a Hero of the Storm by FONO. FONO, with the support of the Louisiana Association of Nonprofit Organizations (LANO) and the Unified Nonprofits of Greater New Orleans, established the campaign to honor organizations and individuals that have been instrumental in driving the rebuilding effort of the region.

All Heroes will be honored before the national media, key leaders and delegates from across the country at events FONO is planning for the Democrat and Republican national conventions this summer. The events will celebrate New Orleans by offering participants the chance to sample some of Louisiana’s unique music and cuisine, as well as raise awareness about the state of the region three years after the devastating hurricanes. FONO Board member and actor John Larroquette will host the events, along with John Breaux, James Carville and Donna Brazile at the Democrat convention in Denver, and Billy Tauzin, Tommy Thompson and Mary Matalin at the Republican event in Minneapolis.