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Welcome Home, Mr. Mendoza!
Homeowner Bio
It was 1981 in Montreal, Canada. The fortnight of Drum Corps International’s finals was taking place. The teams of color guard, buglers, and drummers from all over the USA, Canada, Mexico, and Europe were vying for the championship. Tossed right in the middle of the action was 18 year old, Anthony Mendoza, throwing rifles and whipping flags through the air for the Arabi crew. After the arduous multi-performance showdown the judges made their decision. Arabi won the title. Anthony Mendoza was a World Champion.
A resident of the St. Bernard Parish for 45 years, Anthony had become accustomed to his way of life. His mother and father lived in Chalmette, his younger brother lived 5 blocks away from his house on Cougar Dr., and his twin brother lived just on the other side of Judge Perez. Every piece of his tight-knit family was in place and things could not have been better.
Before Hurricane Katrina, Anthony was a budding businessman in the restaurant industry. His main operation was Wing Stop, and he enjoyed supplying the community with the best hot wings in the area. He had a great paying job and a place to call home, two possessions anybody would be proud of.
On August 29, 2005 all of this was taken away. Like a child pulling dandelions, Anthony’s deep roots were effortlessly plucked from the parish. His restaurant engulfed by the invading waters, his family was displaced, and worst of all, his home was destroyed.
Anthony stayed with his best friend’s grandmother in Hammond until February of 2006. He wasn’t able to see his home until November because of Hurricane Rita’s arrival. Since November 2006, Anthony has resided in a FEMA trailer on his front lawn.
Out of work for nearly a year, Anthony needed a job fast. “The first place I called hired me,” he recalls. Anthony now works at Earl Dosher Floral Wholesales. During his lunch breaks, Anthony travels back to his house to meet with all the volunteers, a personal commitment he has made to himself.
Anthony and his aunt, Edmay Frey, spend weekends working on the house hoping to accelerate the rebuilding process.
Four years down the road and Anthony is still battling Hurricane Katrina.
He beat the storm. He vanquished the trailer. He refused to leave. Anthony is a champion once again.
House Updates
| 12/09/09
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| 11/09/09
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Church of the Brethren volunteers continue to assist with rebuilding efforts every week. This past week a a group of them worked at the Mendoza house. They applied additional coats of mudd to the house, which is almost ready for texture and paint. |
| 10/26/09
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Women from Converse College in Spartanville, S.C. spent their short fall break putting three volunteer days into the Mendoza house, hanging drywall. They drove overnight to maximize their volunteer time, making it through their first work day on very little sleep. Later in the week volunteers from Bourbon Street Bar and Grille in New York City and Shell volunteers from New Orleans continued the drywall effort. |
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Under Construction
Some of our homes currently under Construction
Barbara Williams, New Orleans, LA
Brenda Dupre-Williams, Lower 9th
Chana King, Violet, LA
Clarence and Diane Victorian, New Orleans East, LA
Cologero Caillouet, Chalmette, LA
Darren Anderson, Violet, LA
Darryn Carreras, Chalmette, LA
Darrell Betha, Mereaux, LA
David Lagrange, Arabi, LA
David Melerine, St Bernard, LA
Deborah Vita, Violet, LA
Debra Brown, Gentilly, LA
Delia Doty, Chalmette, LA
Donald & Tonya Topey, Violet, LA
Donnell Barthelemy, Violet, LA
Donnie Panarello, Chalmette, LA
Evelyn Solis, Chalmette, LA
Gerry Bierria, New Orleans, LA
Glenda Ceaser, Violet, LA
Jennifer Lanier, Violet, LA
Joycelyn and Lawrence Stokes, St. Bernard, LA
Joyce Guient, New Orleans, LA
Juan Toledo, Arabi, LA
Keith Florane, Chalmette, LA
Kenneth Burrell, Arabi, LA
Kenneth Dorsey, Lower 9th
Kwame & Dominique Adansi-Bona, Gentilly, LA
Mathilda & August Miller, Chalmette, LA
Mona Lisa Payne, New Orleans, LA
Ralph Dipadova, Chalmette, LA
Rebecca Holmes, St. Bernard, LA
Regina Beal, Violet, LA
Rhonda Krantz, St. Bernard, LA
Ricky Diecidue, Meraux, LA
Robert & Amy Barlow, Meraux, LA
Roosevelt Houston, Lower 9th
Sabrina Pacaccio, Violet, LA
Shane & Tina Meshell, Meraux, LA
Sharen Williams, Arabi, LA
Theresa McLuckey, Chalmette, LA
Vanessa Havers, St. Bernard, LA
Velma Lewis, New Orleans, LA
Willie Major, Violet, LA
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