ABOUT THE CONSERVATION CORPS OF GREATER NEW ORLEANS:
The LA Green Corps is part of the Conservation Corps of Greater New Orleans (CCGNO.) The Corps Network and the Department of Labor partnered to establish CCGNO to train youth living in New Orleans and its surrounding parishes through environmental service learning projects that benefit the community while teaching job skills. Participating CCGNO project sites will collaboratively train up to 800 court involved youth annually in the Greater New Orleans Area. The Corps is based on a Civic Justice Corps model that educates and trains court involved youth through proposing, leading, implementing, and exhibiting projects to communities in need.
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ABOUT THE LA GREEN CORPS:
Arc of GNO www.arcgno.org received a grant from the Corps Network in early 2008 to administer its own Corps program through the Conservation Corps of Greater New Orleans. With assistance from the Sierra Club's Delta Chapter, the Arc of GNO partnered with the Alliance for Affordable Energy www.all4energy.org, and Mid City Neighborhood Organization's Old City Building Center www.mcno.org to implement a service learning and "green" job skills training program called the Louisiana Green Corps.
ABOUT THE PARTNERS:
- The Arc of GNO- Created by concerned parents in 1953, the Arc of GNO is a United Way partner agency that provides services to people affected by intellectual disabilities and their families. The Arc of GNO is committed to securing for all people with intellectual disabilities the opportunity to develop, function, and live to their fullest potential.
- The Alliance for Affordable Energy- For twenty-two years the Alliance has advocated for the rate-payers of Louisiana, focusing on affordability and environmental integrity. Post Katrina, the Alliance has held several stakeholder meetings and developed an extensive program for not only educating residents and builders in safe, affordable, environmentally friendly building, but is also organizing volunteers and trainees to work with residents on energy efficiency. Current program areas include: Regulatory Oversight, Sustainable Redevelopment, and Climate and Clean Energy.
- MidCity Neighborhood Organization's Old City Building Center- MCNO is a civic improvement organization dedicated to improving the lives of all MidCity residents. The Old City Building Center (OCBC) is a project of MCNO. Its mission is to meaningfully address training and support needs for community members who are transitional returning residents, unemployed, underemployed, at-risk youth, parolees, recovering established small businesses, and upcoming entreprenuers. The OCBC warehouse is an architectural salvage depot and workforce training facility with an emphasis on sustainable redevelopment.
CORPSMEMBER OUTCOMES
NUMBER OF
CORPSMEMBERS OUTCOME
102 Enrolled in Cycles 1, 2 and 3
68 Graduated successfully from program (19 extended to finish with Cycle 4)
34 Placed in a job and or secondary/ post secondary education/ or
certificated training opportunity of the 72 who successfully graduated
34 Earned AmeriCorps Education Award
77 Corpsmembers currently enrolled in Cycle 4 (plus 19 extended)
44% Corpsmembers surveyed will use education award in Louisiana
91% Corpsmembers surveyed discovered a new career path
75% Corpsmembers surveyed felt they contributed to the rebuilding
of their community
88% Corpsmembers surveyed achieved personal satisfaction from helping
others through service projects
PROJECT OUTCOMES
TYPE OF ACTIVITY ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Disaster Relief and
Recovery Work 12 large historic stained glass windows restored at 2500sf
church
5 homes of 1000sf deconstructed and materials
recycled to use for rebuild purposes
42 tons of historic building materials salvaged and repurposed
8 skims completed
6 walls painted at the Crescent City Lights Youth Theater
1 home drywalled and plastered for 91 year old
Environmental
Restoration/
Rehabilitation 200 landscape plants rescued for plantings around New Orleans
75 species of plants planted by the Arc Corpsmembers in
gardens and wetlands areas
200 sf marsh grasses re-planted
2 barrier islands replanted with 100 oak trees
1 state park wetland planted with over 1500 cypress trees
2 sustainable gardens built
Energy
Conservation 11 homes weatherized (estimated each at 1000sf)
13 radiant barriers installed in homes
4 homes installed with extruded foam board
9 solar hot water heaters installed
8 homes received mold remediation
3 homes installed with insulation
1 school assessed for energy efficient repairs
