Frequently Asked Questions:

Q: When is the next trip to New Orleans? A: Oct 27th - Nov 3rd, volunteering from Oct 29th - Nov 2nd 2018

Q: Where will we be volunteering? A: For New Orleans it will be about 20-40 minutes drive from the heart of the French Quarter in either St. Bernard and New Orleans Parish's. For Baton Rouge this will be approx. 90-120minutes from our volunteer lodging.  We will be volunteering for a non-profit organization called SBP. See http://sbpusa.org/

Q: Where will we be staying? A: For lodging, the Mustard Seed Mission house had to sell up so we will be staying at India House Backpackers Hostel https://indiahousehostel.com/

Q: How much does the trip cost? What does this fee cover? A: Your stay at the Volunteer house costs $355 per person, and includes bunk-bed sleeping in one of three mixed rooms with bunk bed.  One Brick will cover breakfast at the hostel also, and will provide water/snacks for the worksite.  It also includes event manager logistic costs and a small donation to the scholarship fund.  Your $355 includes lodging for 7nights Sat-Sat.  This fantastic price is based on the expectation that you volunteer Mon thru Friday with SBP.

Q: How do I pay? Is my payment refundable? A: Payment is made through EventBrite. Your fee is non-refundable, but if you have to cancel, we might be able to fill your spot with someone from the waitlist of people if the event is full. If so, we will gladly refund your money (minus the booking fees). Note that cancellations made 30days or less before the trip do not give us sufficient time to find a replacement volunteer and therefore refunds are not provided.

Q: How many people can go on the trip to NOLA? A: A maximum of 10 volunteers including the One Brick Event Manager.

Q: When should I plan to arrive? A: You MUST arrive before 7:00pm on Sunday night for our orientation. If you wish to come early you may arrive at the hostel after 6pm and before 10:30pm on Saturday or between 4-6:30pm on Sunday. See Schedule.  Some choose to come to New Orleans earlier in the week and stay at a hotel/airBnB.

Q: I want to come. What do I need to do? A:Pay here: One Brick NOLA Fall 2020 Also see Checklist

Q: How do I get to/from the volunteer house? A: You will need to rent a car or carpool. See Trip Flight times page for details.

Q: Do you have suggestions for how to spend our down time and free days? A: See Day Trips and Activities page

Q: If a volunteer can only attend a portion of the week is that okay? A: The expectation is that volunteers commit to the full work week Mon-Friday roughly 8:30a.m-4:30pm each day. We are committing the volunteer hours to SBP and the great housing cost is also based on that. All volunteers must arrive by Sunday evening and stay through the end of the work day on Friday.

Q: For dinners, looks like people will be on their own. Is there room for people to buy store dinner supplies and cook meals at the Hostel? A: There is space to store food and there are supplies for cooking at the Hostel. We encourage people to cook in groups and enjoy shared meals. There will be plenty of opportunities to visit local restaurants and bars too!

Q: Looks like the trip is set at max 10 volunteers. Is 10 people the max capacity of Volunteer House? Does the house manager live there? Will additional volunteers be allowed on the trip if they choose to stay elsewhere? A: All One Brick volunteers are required to stay at the hostel. For logistics and liability reasons we can not accommodate or be responsible for additional volunteers. Staying together isn't only best for these reasons, we have found that one of the best parts of the trip is the volunteer group experience.

Q: I know SBP expanded to other parishes. Will we be volunteering exclusively in St Bernard Parish? And only with rebuilding? A: We will have a better idea of the projects we will potentially be working on closer to the trip date. Due to the fluctuations in resources, manpower, and project schedules we will know know the full details about the projects until we arrive. At this stage in NOLA's recovery most projects involve rebuilding although could include gutting and environmental projects. We will go where needed. Expect to work hard, break a sweat, and make a difference!

Q: What if I don't have any construction skills? A: Don't worry, SBP will train you! They've worked with lots of unskilled and skilled volunteers. A staff person manages each job site to ensure that volunteers work safely, have appropriate tools and follow St. Bernard Project (SBP) construction protocol. If you are not interested in construction work, there is a limited amount of administrative work. Please contact the Volunteer Department at SPB for more information about these types of opportunities.

Q: My question is not answered here. How do I get it answered. A: Drop Kate a line at katelm at onebrick dot org, and we'll get back to you ASAP.