As a Relief Spark volunteer - each day can be a different day. It's entirely up to you! Below is a partial list of programs we offer to our volunteers. Most of our volunteers choose a different program each day of their stay with us, while others select the same program each day.

With each season we are adding on new volunteer opportunities. For a complete list, send us a volunteer request and we'll let you know all that we offer and will be more than happy to share with you our voluntourism opportunity!

OPERATION REBUILD MY HOME
This program has been created for our more experienced construction volunteers. Are you a carpenter? Architect? Have experience in drywall, painting and general woodworking? Then help us rebuild homes in the New Orleans and St. Bernard Parish areas. We focus on assisting homeowners who make less than $50,000.00/year, are elderly, disabled or single parents and have lived in their home for a minimum of 3 years. We currently have rebuilding projects in Lakeview, New Orleans East, Gentilly and the Lower 9th Ward. All of our rebuilding projects are in association with a licensed and insured general contractor and our volunteers work under their supervision while on site.

LOUISIANA CHILDREN’S MUSEUM
Are you outgoing, friendly, enthusiastic and dependable? Do you like to play? Volunteer at the Louisiana Children’s Museum and help us rebuild and reconnect our community through play. LCM volunteers help families to learn and play together, building a stronger community! Volunteers are an important part of making LCM such a magical place; they help to enhance the quality of visits for our guest and they also provide the manpower needed to plan and implement our special events and educational programs. It is our goal to provide a volunteer experience that is rewarding to everyone involved. Come Play with Us! *each day begins at 9:30am and concludes at 12:30pm – please select a second program that has an (*) to create a full day of volunteering AND there is a MAX capacity of 10 volunteers each day/special event – please ask your volunteer coordinator.

RELIEF SPARK OFFICE
Do you enjoy organizing information? Do you have a flair for web development and graphic design? If so, then we are looking for you! Come help out in the Relief Spark Office where every day is an adventure! You will work directly with our Executive Director, Miss Sidney Ray and work on a variety of projects that include: organizing information via Outlook into Excel, filing, speaking with potential donors, organizing celebrity contacts, communicate with corporate sponsors, create Certificate of Hours and letters for volunteers.

DRAGON CAFÉ – ST. GEORGES EPISCOPAL CHURCH
Ever wanted to be a chef with your own restaurant? Of course you do! Come and volunteer with the Dragon Cafe and cook alongside (or call the shots) with other volunteers as they prep and cook, serve and enjoy with the homeless population here in New Orleans. All volunteers have the oppty to enjoy their cooking or come back to the Relief Spark housing for Chef Lorie’s dinners! Prepping begins at 1pm and you will be dismissed around 7 or 8pm. Past volunteers have really enjoyed this program! *Relief Spark recommends pairing this with Louisiana Children’s Museum at 9am – 12:30pm.

OPERATION GREEN LIGHT
Exchange light bulbs for energy efficient light bulbs (CFL) and reduce not only kilowatts of power by most importantly carbon in households. In all you could help families save $1,334.00 over a 5-year period! To date over 80,000 households have had their light bulbs exchanged by volunteers of all ages! Past volunteers have really enjoyed this program as they have had the opportunity to converse with families while changing out light bulbs. Volunteers are sent out in teams of 5 and given names, addresses and maps of all pre-scheduled appointments. Help us exchange lights for all households in Orleans and Jefferson Parish!

OPERATION ANIMAL RESCUE
Walk the pups, clean up after the pups, feed/water the pups, play with the kitties, clean up after the kitties (much easier than the pups), feed/water the kitties and love the pets. ARNO is a phenomenal organization that has been rescuing animals ever since the flooding of New Orleans. When all other “national” animal rescue operations pulled out of New Orleans, ARNO was legally formed and continued onward with the mission of “rescuing all animals until there are none.” To this day, the volunteer force work 12-hour days and desperately need volunteer support. So, if you enjoy/love dogs and cats and want to help a grassroots non-profit that is helping those who cannot take care of themselves, then we strongly recommend Operation Animal Rescue! *This program can accommodate up to 20 volunteers a day – perfect for large groups!

OPERATION ST. BERNARD COMMUNITY
Get involved with residents who are rebuilding by supporting the St. Bernard Community Center located in Arabi, LA (next to the Lower 9th Ward). Volunteers are needed every day to sort donations in distribution, build out the laundry room, data-entry, filing as well as cooking and serving meals in the community relief kitchen that serves nightly dinner to residents and volunteers.

OPERATION REBUILD THE SCHOOLS
This program is in development with the Recovery School District and will be lead and coordinated by their offices, but overseen by Relief Spark Staff. Help rebuild New Orleans schools by being a part of the recovery! Volunteers are needed to paint schools, assemble playground equipment and maintain school yards.

DELIVER THY MEALS
– This program is in association with Jefferson Parish Council on Aging. The Council provides nutrition services to persons age 60+ and their spouses, regardless of age. Service is provided five days per week and consists of a noon meal that meets 1/3 of the daily nutritional requirement for an older individual. Meals are purchased from a vendor, Valley, who prepares the food at a central kitchen and delivers the prepackaged meals to senior centers and nutrition sites throughout Jefferson Parish. Meals are provided at congregate locations and may be home delivered to individuals who are home bound because of frailty or disability. In many areas of the country this service is often referred to as “Meals on Wheels.”