This is a blog of my thoughts and reflections during a year in New Orleans as a Young Adult Volunteer with the Presbyterian Church.

INTRO

        I am spending this year as a volunteer in New Orleans through the Presbyterian Young Adult Volunteer (YAV) program. The YAV program supports young adults in spiritual formation, vocational discernment, practicing simple living while reflecting on and working in service in communities of need. I am living with six other volunteers in a house in the Gentilly neighborhood of New Orleans. We all have different volunteer "placements" which means that we will all be doing different jobs this year. Here is a brief breakdown of what everyone is doing

Lauren Rampy, from Dallas, Tx will be working as a Village manager at Project Homecoming, a volunteer housing organization

Tasha Nickler from Bucyrus, OH will be a part time village manager/community liaison at project homecoming www.projecthomecoming.org

Meagen Norman from Tx will be a Chaplain's assistant with Oschner health system

Emma Wood from Greensboro, NC will be working at Chinese Presbyterian Church in Kenner, LA

Katie Turpin from Birmingham, AL will be working at First Presbyterian and Faith Presbyterian church with a number of outreach programs

    I am going to working at The Center for Hazards Assessment and Response Technology (CHART) at the University of New Orleans www.chart.uno.edu and with Bayou Blue Presbyterian Church in Gray, Louisiana (near Houma). I will be giving presentations about environmental issues to volunteers and other groups, as well as helping with a number of different related projects.    

CONTACT INFO

To get ahold of me:

e-mai: lponderev@gmail.com

phone: 503-998-9233, or if you want to send a letter my address is:

4223 Franklin Ave

New Orleans, LA 70122

 

FUNDRAISING

    As part of the program, I am supposed to raise funds to pay for half of my expenses while I'm down here. That comes about to be about $6,500. If you are interested in making a tax-deductible donation, you can either write a check to:

Kathy Lee
Presbytery of South Louisiana
3700 Gentilly Blvd.
New Orleans, LA 70122

 

Please include my name (Evan Ponder) in the memo line)

 

Or you can donate online through the presbytery website:

Go to http://gamc.pcusa.org/donate/E051474/

Click on "Make a Donation"

Put my name (Evan Ponder) in the "comments/instructions" section.

You have the option of making a recurring donation if you choose to donate this way. All donations are tax deductible and you will receive a receipt for your donation.

 

 

"Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony" (Colossians 3:12-14)