Stories

Volunteers of America Southeast Louisiana offers support to the men and women who have sacrificed so much for our country.

​Jasriel was only six years old when she came to our Mentoring Children of Promise Program. She had no father and her mother was incarcerated, leaving her elderly grandmother to raise her, two older brothers and a younger sister. Thankfully, Sasha, a freshman at Tulane University, had applied to be a mentor with our program at just the right time to be paired with Jasriel.

When Shelly first came to our North Shore office, she was newly diagnosed with HIV and hepatitis C. She was very sick and tired, as she had been acting as the sole caregiver for her ex-husband. He was experiencing the final stages of AIDS, with kidney failure, dialysis three times per week and serious problems with mobility and activities of daily living. Shelly, with a master's degree in social work, found herself in need of support from others.

Emma has always known she was adopted—and it's something she takes great pride in. So when Emma decided to enter a writing contest at her school, she knew exactly what she would write about.

Sometimes when you are at your lowest, all you really want is for someone to show that they care. That's why when volunteers from Marriott Hotels in the Greater New Orleans area came together to assemble hygiene kits for the homeless, they included positive, handwritten notes of encouragement.

​Can you imagine having no one to love you, to take care of you? Doubtful. That's how Travis, age 19, felt when he walked through the doors at Volunteers of America a little over a year ago.

Last month, 45 volunteers from eight different stores lent their time and expertise at The Cottages at Mile Branch, part of our workforce housing facility in Covington, by landscaping soon-to-be completed family homes.

Volunteers of America Greater New Orleans, along with other VOA affiliates, had the wonderful opportunity to meet with our Senators and Representatives in Washington D.C. this week for Volunteers of America Day!

Aliya and her son, Ajani, have found beautiful workforce housing at The Groves at Mile Branch in Covington, LA.

Artist Jeffery Elkins of our Supported Living Services program has developmental delays. But thanks to your support, he enjoys a full life, even having his work featured in museums and art shows.