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Questions and Answers
A click on the question will take you to the answer.
GENERAL
I am a homeless woman in New Orleans and would like information about admittance into NOWS. How can I reach you?
I have heard that you have a 43 page complete local resource guide for homeless women. How can I get that right now?
I want to help homeless women and children in New Orleans. How can I make a financial contribution?
Can I volunteer my time helping at the shelter?
In what other ways can I support the shelter?
I'd like to be a full time staff member of the shelter (a minimum 3 to 6 month commitment).
How can I get more information about this opportunity?
Can you give me a list of things the shelter needs right now and tell me how to send items to you?
ABOUT VOLUNTEERING AT THE SHELTER
What is the minimum amount of time I need to dedicate if I want to volunteer in the Women's Shelter?
What experience is required for volunteering in the shelter?
What will I be doing if I volunteer in the Women's Shelter?
What are the living arrangements like in the Women's Shelter?
What are the benefits of volunteering in the Women's Shelter?
Is it safe to live and work in the 9th Ward?
What are some of the challenges of volunteering in the Women's Shelter?
What training will be provided if I volunteer in the Women's Shelter?
Who do I contact for more information about volunteering in the Women's Shelter?
I am a homeless woman in New Orleans and would like information about admittance into NOWS. How can I reach you?
Call 504-442-1683 and leave a number where you can be reached, or
go to the contact page. return to top of this page
I have heard that you have a 43 page complete local resource guide for homeless women. How can I get that right now?
Need help RIGHT NOW? Download our 43 page resource guide
with help for everything from Food Stamps to doctors to child care.
For more info, please call 504-442-1683 and leave a number where you can be reached, or
go to the contact page. return to top of this page
I want to help homeless women and children in New Orleans. How can I make a financial contribution?
Please send checks to Gates of Prayer at 4000 W. Esplanade, Metairie, LA 70002. Just designate Women's
Shelter on or with your check. All donations are tax deductible and you will receive an acknowledgement letter.
Gates of Prayer Website.
If you have any questions please contact Dan Silverman at 504-616-5903 .
For more info, please call 504-442-1683 and leave a number
where you can be reached, or go to the contact page. return to top of this page
Can I volunteer my time helping at the shelter?
We have limited opportunities for
short term volunteers at the shelter due to concerns for privacy and
confidentiality. Most on-site needs are handled by our permanent staff.
But you can help by raising awareness and funds within your own
community or social group that can be used by NOWS. Funds can be
directed towards general operating funds or specific programming such as
our Children's Support Activities; Women's Programming; Facilities
Upgrades (new furniture, computers, appliances, linens, etc.);
Resident Supplies (children's clothing, women's undergarments, etc.).
If you'd like to discuss ideas, please call 504-442-1683 and leave a number
where you can be reached, or
go to the contact page. return to top of this page
In what other ways can I support the shelter?
In addition to making a financial contribution, you can also send supplies directly.
For more info about this, please call 504-442-1683 and leave a number where you can be reached,
or go to the contact page. return to top of this page
I'd like to be a full time staff member of the shelter (a minimum 3 to 6
month commitment). How can I get more information about this opportunity?
Click here to download and complete the volunteer information form. Complete the form
then mail it to us at the address on our Contact Page or call Caroline Heldman at 504-421-1218 for information on how to fax it to us.
Or email Caroline for more volunteer information by clicking here
For other info, please call 504-442-1683
and leave a number where you can be reached, or go to the contact page.
return to top of this page
Can you give me a list of things the shelter needs right now and tell me how
to send items to you?
Email the shelter at neworleanswomenssheler@gmail.com and put wish list in the subject
line. we will let you know what our needs are and where to send. OR... Want to help RIGHT NOW? Download our current wish list here
straight to you from the Shelter.
For more info please call 504-442-1683 and leave a number where you can be reached, or
go to the contact page. return to top of this page
What is the minimum amount of time I need to dedicate if I want to volunteer in the Women's Shelter?
Unfortunately, we cannot accept
short-term volunteers in the Women's Shelter. Our model of services
requires that staff members volunteer for at least three months.
Volunteers are usually in the shelter for three to six months.
For
more info, please call 504-442-1683 and leave a number where you can be
reached,
or go to the contact page. return to top of this page
What experience is required for volunteering in the shelter?
We accept volunteers from many
different educational and professional backgrounds. Experience with direct service
volunteering is a plus, but not required. Previous experience
volunteering in New Orleans is also preferred but not required.
For more info, please call 504-442-1683 and leave a number where you can be reached,
or go to the contact page. return to top of this page
What will I be doing if I volunteer in the Women's Shelter?
Volunteer tasks vary widely, from
contributing to the household through chores and cooking meals to
providing case management to residents; researching local resources;
planning programs to enrich the lives of shelter residents and
volunteers; making repairs to the facility; mediating conflicts in the
house; dispensing medication; monitoring chores; procuring donations;
compiling informational materials; advocating for children in the house;
assisting with resume development; and other activities.
For more info, please call 504-442-1683 and leave a number where you can be reached,
or go to the contact page. return to top of this page
What are the living arrangements like in the Women's Shelter?
Four to six volunteers share one room
at the facility. Each volunteer is provided with a sleeping space on a
bunk bed and fresh bedding. Volunteer clothing is stored in shared
dresser and closet space. The shelter has two locked closets where
volunteers can store valuables.
For more info, please call 504-442-1683 and leave a number where you can be reached,
or go to the contact page. return to top of this page
What are the benefits of volunteering in the Women's Shelter?
Volunteers who work in the Women's
Shelter typically stay longer than they initially intended to, and most
come back to work in the shelter a second or third time, despite the
difficulty of the work. Shelter volunteers are serving one of the
neediest populations in New Orleans, so every hour we spend working with
residents constitutes a meaningful contribution to their lives.
Volunteers benefit from their time in the Women's Shelter because the
work is so significant and meaningful, progress is obvious and tangible,
and the living/working situation provides spaces for self-reflection and
recognition of one's privilege.
For more info, please call 504-442-1683 and leave a number where you can be reached,
or go to the contact page. return to top of this page
Is it safe to live and work in the 9th Ward?
Like any other major city, New
Orleans is both safe and unsafe. Overall rates of crime are comparable
to other major cities, and it tends to be concentrated in certain
neighborhoods. The Women's Shelter is located on a busy street in the
Upper 9th Ward. Prior to Hurricane Katrina, the 9th Ward enjoyed the
highest rate of Black home ownership in the nation, and homes ranged
from humble abodes to mansions by the river. Since the storm, fewer
than half of the 9th Ward's residents returned. Crime continues to be a
problem in the neighborhood, mostly involving drugs, although we have
not had significant problems with this to date. Volunteers regularly
walk to and from nearby stores and local cafes.
For more info, please call 504-442-1683 and
leave a number where you can be reached, or go to the contact page. return to top of this page
What are some of the challenges of volunteering in the Women's Shelter?
Some challenges of volunteering in
the Women's Shelter include deep emotional sadness from observing the
lingering devastation in the city; adjusting to communal living,
adjusting to living with new cultures; working long hours under
stressful conditions; and negotiating inter-personal disputes. However,
volunteers typically find the work to be so rewarding that these
challenges are seen as a positive.
For more info, please call 504-442-1683 and leave a number where you can be reached, or
go to the contact page. return to top of this page
What training will be provided if I volunteer in the Women's Shelter?
Volunteers receive a two-day
intensive training when they arrive to work in the Women's Shelter.
This training includes learning about house norms and procedures;
reading the Operating Manual from cover to cover; formally meeting
residents; and a variety of other information about day-to-day shelter
activities.
For more info, please call 504-442-1683 and leave a number where you can be reached,
or go to the contact page. return to top of this page
Who do I contact for more information about volunteering in the Women's Shelter?
If you have additional questions
about volunteering in the Women's Shelter, please contact Caroline
Heldman at (504) 421-1218 or email her
For more info, please call
504-442-1683 and leave a number where you can be reached, or go to the contact page.
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