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Volunteer Travel: Beers Beget Building

August 3, 2007 at 1:29 PM | 2 Comments

Last week we told you where to drink in New Orleans. But after our Big Easy adventure, we wondered what visitors do when they're not downing hurricanes or nursing hangovers.

Turns out, they're picking up hammers.

Located about 20 minutes outside the French Quarter, Habitat for Humanity New Orleans, has been hosting on-going builds and offering affordable housing to its volunteers since Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005.

Twenty bucks (or roughly the cost of two of those fancy drinks) buys you a cot for the night in a revamped elementary school and a chance to relive those summer camps days.

But just what does that mean?

The nominal fee covers three square meals of peas, carrots and canned ravioli in the communal cafeteria and access to communal bathrooms, showers and rec rooms, too.

Projects include new builds in the Ninth Ward's Musicians' Village, and rehabbing old houses and clearing debris with residents in St. Bernard Parish.

Volunteers can work for one day or an entire week--which still leaves plenty of time for drinking.

Related Stories:
· New Orleans Hotels [HotelChatter]
· Vonunteer Travel [Jaunted]

[Photo: tomsly]