Chuck Gould, CEO of Volunteers of America, Named to the NonProfit Times' "Power and Influence Top 50" List
Volunteers of America President and CEO Charles W. Gould has been named by NonProfit Times to its 2008 “Power & Influence Top 50” – a respected and coveted listing of the most influential leaders at work in American philanthropy. This is the fourth consecutive year Gould has been named to the annual list. Read more about the award here.
CNN Features Volunteers of America's Katrina Recovery Efforts on Anniversary Special
Almost three years to the day that Hurricane Katrina made landfall, New Orleans braced for a repeat in the form of Tropical Storm Gustav. Volunteers of America was featured the night of August 29th on Anderson Cooper's CNN program as part of the network’s coverage of the third anniversary of Katrina.
Earlier this month, CNN interviewed Ricky Murray, a 42-year-old client served by Volunteers of America and the Louisiana Spirit hurricane recovery program. After Katrina, Mr. Murray’s Slidell, La. home was flooded with approximately seven feet of water and he has lived in a trailer in the yard with his wife and three children ever since. He suffered a heart attack following the storm and has not been able to work a steady job to support his family. FEMA notified Mr. Murray that they would pick up his family’s trailer at the end of this month, and the stress now threatens to destroy his marriage.
CNN also interviewed Kay Taylor, a Louisiana Spirit outreach worker with our Greater New Orleans office who has been working with Mr. Murray. Ms. Taylor’s home in Pass Christian was washed away in the storm.
Read more about Mr. Murray’s story. Read more about Volunteers of America's continuing Hurricane Katrina recovery efforts.
Volunteers of America Organizes Army of 350 to Rebuild Parts of St. Bernard Parish
Volunteers of America, a national leader in supporting communities by providing affordable housing and other social services, dispatched an army of more than 350 volunteers to help rebuild parts of St. Bernard Parish that remain devastated by Hurricane Katrina. The day of service coincided with Volunteers of America’s National Conference June 7-10 in New Orleans and is part of the organization’s long-term commitment to rebuild the Gulf Coast region.
In addition to providing workers, Volunteers of America donated $30,000 in materials, including a new air conditioning unit, to help rebuild the church.
“Our mission for more than a century has been to serve people and communities in vulnerable situations,” said Charles Gould, national president and chief executive officer of Volunteers of America. “Most of the volunteers participating in this day of service are Volunteers of America’s own employees and their families. In our line of work, it is important for us to go out into the community, get our hands dirty and connect personally with those in need. We hope this effort will help us establish stronger bonds with the people we serve every day.” More >
Volunteers of America Applauds President for Authorizing the Second Chance Act - Organization Collaborted with Members of Congress to Advocate Passage of Bill to Help Ex-Offenders
Volunteers of America applauds President Bush for signing into law The Second Chance Act of 2007: Community Safety Through Recidivism Prevention. The bipartisan bill was passed by unanimous consent by the U.S. Senate in early March and by the U.S. House of Representatives last summer.
The Second Chance Act represents a significant improvement on existing federally funded programs for the safe reentry of nearly 700,000 offenders who are released from state and federal prisons each year and return to local communities. The legislation authorizes $362 million to states, local governments and nonprofit organizations that operate programs that help former prisoners find job training, literacy training, substance abuse treatment, counseling and housing. More >
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