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Project Relief, a group of about 40 people from churches in Briarcliff, Scarborough and Peekskill are sending daily dispatches from their week volunteering in New Orleans. See all the Project Relief stories.
BRIARCLIFF MANOR, N.Y. Westchester's Project Relief team, which was formed by Briarcliff locals, kicked off its volunteer trip in New Orleans Monday by helping distribute food to families who were devastated by Hurricane Katrina.
Project Relief Director Peter Clements said group members spent time with Leona Tate, one of the original girls, "who, as first-graders in 1960, integrated a New Orleans elementary school.
"Today, she runs a foundation to fight inner city poverty and promotes racial equality, Clements wrote in an e-mail to The Daily Briarcliff Monday. The team helped her distribute 30 boxes of food at her food pantry.
Project Relief began five years ago when local Briarcliff youths told adults from Briarcliff Congregational Church, Scarborough Presbyterian Church and Peekskill Presbyterian Church that they wanted to volunteer their time to help repair the City of New Orleans after the 2005 hurricane.
Clements said 26 young and adult members raised about $42,000 to make the trip to spend their entire winter break from school volunteering with local New Orleans organizations to rebuild houses.
Members of the group will file dispatches from New Orleans to The Daily Briarcliff during the trip. See the previous story about the teams first day, published Sunday.
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