Higher Ground - The Story of Staff Supporting People with Disabilities Immediately After Hurricane Katrina

Volunteers of America is proud to tell the story of our staff members in New Orleans who support people with significant disabilities. In the weeks and months following Katrina, many of our direct support staff provided 24-hour assistance to the consumers they served, often living with them under difficult circumstances, helping them rebuild their lives in the city of New Orleans. Partnering with the University of Wisconsin, focus groups were conducted with these direct support professionals which led to the development of a report and a soon-to-be released video.

Titled "Higher Ground," this magazine-like report and the film highlight the dedication and commitment of this often undervalued workforce. ANCOR, the national trade organization for mental developmental disabilities (MRDD) service providers contributed to the development of the video is working with us to distribute these materials as widely as possible, using them to advocate for better wages, benefits and recognition for this valuable workforce.

The report and the video tell the first-hand stories of staff members who are dedicated to the people with disabilities, who made enormous personnel sacrifices to ensure on-going care and who continue to work under extreme pressures as the city strives to recover from this catastrophic disaster.