OPERATION HELPING HANDS WINDING DOWN

 

Christian Brothers Volunteers at OHH in 2008-2009:  Kyle Fischler, Caitlyn DeCastro, Br. Tom Lejeune and Vincent Fiedler-Ross

On Friday, September 2, 2011 Br. Bob came home with the sad news that Operation Helping Hands would be winding down and cease operation in June of 2012.  While the work on current homes will continue, and the long-term volunteers will continue to welcome groups who come for a week during the year, a number of the staff were given three weeks notice.  The advocates, who interviewed the poor and elderly who came seeking assistance, and a number of the professionals who form the backbone of the effort, are being terminated in coming weeks.  It was especially poignant coming just as we began the Labor Day Weekend celebration.

On September 8, after an article had appeared in the Times Picayune, Catholic Charities, of which Operation Helping Hands is one activity, released a statement which stated in part: "The program, which uses volunteers and skilled workers to gut, repair, rebuild and repaint the homes of the elderly and disabled, has been tremendously successful.  We are grateful and humbled to have been able to serve so many homeowners and eternally thankful to have had the opportunity to work alongside the 29,076 volunteers who came to assist us in the rebuilding effort, including rebuilding 195 homes and gutting 1,983 homes."

Ryan Danaher, Catherine Drennan and Nick Roland, 2009-2010 community members.

                

                                                     

We had thought the program would continue for several more  years since there are still thousands and thousands of homes in ruins, and many poor and elderly who need assistance.  However, because of contaminated "Chinese dry wall," 41 homes that were rehabilitated will have to be redone, at a cost estimated at $40,000 per house.  That, plus the uncertainty about future state and federal funding, appear to have caused the cancellation of the program.

The statement continued: "Catholic Charities . . . will fulfill all of its existing commitments to homeowners, but will not be accepting new clients.  We are currently in the midst off 12 rebuilding projects and are rebuilding and rehabilitating 41 homes that were repaired using Chinese drywall that was donated to us..." 

Vincent Fiedler-Ross, a volunteer in 2008-2009 with Br. Joe Fragala who volunteered at Cafe Reconcile, a program for at-risk young people.  Br. Joe died suddenly in July of 2010.  Vincent is now pursuing a graduate degree in Washington, DC.

 The Christian Brother Volunteer Community has included long-term volunteers at Operation Helping Hands for the last three years.  While there was never any intention to have volunteers only work at OHH, that is what transpired.  However, it does give this community an insight into an aspect of the Operation Helping Hands program that has not been spoken of in either the press or by Catholic Charities.  That is the opportunity for young men and women to give service in a personal and practical way to the poorest and least served in the community.  It provided an opportunity for the volunteers to cross racial, social and economic divides that they could not have achieved any other way.  It brought highly motivated college graduates with degrees in English, international studies, business, etc. to work gutting buildings, hanging wall board, tiling floors, painting walls and meeting families and working with them for months; building authentic relationships of mutual respect and affection that transcended race and social class.  We Brothers witnessed this in our daily prayer with the young men and women who lived with us.  We witnessed it in the guests who came home to have dinner with us, both other volunteers and staff.  Br. John witnessed it in the days of reflection he was invited to give to the whole group and to the Americorps volunteers.  It was at a day of reflection in the Fall of 2010 that  a staff member said it best:  "This is the finest group of people I have ever worked with; that is why I am here."

The newspaper accounts and the statement from Catholic Charities focused, appropriately from their perspective, on the projects and programs.

As a community of religious, in the tradition of Edmund Rice, we reflected on his charism:  "Edmund Rice responded to Christ present and appealing to him in the materially poor."  We have been privileged over the past three years to accompany the long-term volunteers who were members of the community as they faced the joys and difficulties of service to the poor, as well as life in community.  We focus on the volunteers and the relationships they developed and that developed them.

Br. Charles, Molly Sherry, Br. Bob, Sr. Monica Gundler, Br. John and Haley Mills--Fall, 2010

Archbishop Aymond has written that our educational institutions should be "schools of discipleship."  TO TEACH AS JESUS DID, the 1972 document from the U. S. Conference of Catholic Bishops states
that the Christian vocation is personal sanctification and transformation of the social order in light of Gospel values.  It further defines the three fold purpose of Catholic education as: to teach the faith, in the context of community, and to give service to the Church and the world.

For the young men and women who lived in community with us these last three years, and for many of there companions in ministry, Operation Helping Hands was putting all they learned in Catholic schools into practice.  It took them from theory to lived reality for an extended period of time.  It was not taking up a collection, or saying a prayer, or collecting unused articles for the distant or hardly known poor.  It was dirty, smelly, grubby work, in hot, unsanitary conditions in neighborhoods they might only have driven through at other times.  It was real and tough.  And sometimes it was joyous and wonderful.  Our volunteers and groups we have hosted here at the house, speak repeatedly of the joy and goodness of the majority of those whom they help and say, in the end, they have been the ones who have benefited most.

So while the winding down of Operation Helping Hands and the displacement of many full-time employees was inevitable, and the physical, on-the-ground achievements worthy of note and great praise, we will continue to speak of and celebrate this practicum in the school of discipleship.

It was, finally, a fundamental part of our celebration of Eucharist, the source and summit of our work and worship.  For in our service we find meaning.  As John Paul II pointed out in his encyclical MANE NOBISCUM, on the Eucharist, it is not a mistake that in John's Gospel account of the Last Supper, there is no mention of the words of institution, but rather we have the washing of the feet. He goes on to say: " We cannot delude ourselves: by our mutual love and, in particular, by our concern for those in need we will be recognized as true followers of Christ (cf. Jn 13:35; Mt 25:31-46). This will be the criterion by which the authenticity of our Eucharistic celebrations is judged."

We now must begin to work a bit harder on inviting new volunteers.  We have and will continue to invite people volunteering at Operation Helping Hands, but now will use this development to go reach out and stretch ourselves.  Our criteria for membership really is only people who are volunteering who will make a commitment to live in community with us for a year or so.  It helps to have a good sense of humor ,  the ability to cook [!], and a desire to live in a community of service and relationship.

Jessica McKeown [Americorp], a guest, Sr. Monica Gundler [our coummunity facilitator], Allison Maraldo [2010-11 volunteer community] and Br. John.  We are eating.  Again.   This was an evening for other volunteer communities that we hosted.