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Black and white group volunteer photo in front of a home under construction

Empowering The Future

Youth Driven.

Bringing together New Orleans’ Youth to rebuild blighted neighborhoods.

 

We’re organized by youth, and our efforts are directed at bettering the lives of our city’s future.

 

Many young people who wanted to volunteer to help rebuild New Orleans were turned away by other non-profits because of the liability associated with reconstruction work. Instead of accepting this rejection, a committed group of teenagers decided they would find a way to help the New Orleans community recover.

We know that when it comes to volunteer organizations, New Orleans is not lacking, but YRNO’s devotion to young people and education sets us apart. Although we have grown exponentially from the initial days following Hurricane Katrina, our vision and founding principles have remained the same.

 

Youth Rebuilding New Orleans’s mission is to reduce blight by rebuilding distressed and foreclosed homes while engaging local youth in the recovery and rebirth of the New Orleans area.

Rebuilding New Orleans one home at a time.

Our Team

Prince Holmes

Prince Holmes

Executive Director

Prince is a New Orleans native and proud Edna Karr Alum. He joined the Youth...

De'Auan McClaine

De'Auan McClaine

Social Media Manager

De'Auan is a multimedia artist born and raised in Kansas City, KS that currently resides in New Orleans, LA. De'Auan looks to use his artistic talents in music, film, creative marketing, content creation, and other aspects of media to eventually fund the solutions to the problems that have oppressed African-Americans and other minorities.

Coco

Coco

Office Doggy

Our door greeter and wonderful office doggy

Chris Altobello

Chris Altobello

YRNO Board Member

Chris Altobello is from Kenner, LA and graduated from Archbishop Rummel...

KD Minor

KD Minor

YRNO Board Member

Believing in responding to demographic, political and social shifts by acting in...

John Coyle

John Coyle

Construction Manager

John Coyle moved to New Orleans in 2008 to participate in the...

Ron'Jay Brown

Ron'Jay Brown

Site Supervisor

Ron'Jay life dream is to be a master carpenter. He's well on his way to doing so as he played a major role in the build of YRNO's most recent project on Alabo st.

Robert Whitman Jr.

Robert Whitman Jr.

YRNO Board President

Robert Whitman Jr. received his B.S. from Tulane University in 1973...

Chris Ulfers

Chris Ulfers

YRNO Board Member

Chris Ulfers graduated Summa Cum Laude in 2015 from Louisiana State...

Mike Kingston

Mike Kingston

YRNO Board Member

As a former volunteer and Construction Manager for YRNO...

Ra’Gene Barrett

Ra’Gene Barrett

Assistant Construction Manager

Ra’Gene is a New Orleans native and graduate from Mc’Donough 35 High...

Irielle Moore

Irielle Moore

YRNO Intern

Irielle recently joined the construction staff and has been a delight to work with. Iri's focus at YRNO is to improve her problem solving, organization and team work skills. Aside from riding dirt bikes in her spare time, Iri is motivatied to apply the skills she's learned to start her own business.

Mary Shoemaker

Mary Shoemaker

YRNO Board Member

Mary C. Shoemaker is an Archbishop Chapelle and UNO graduate with a BS...

Jarod Martinolich

Jarod Martinolich

YRNO Board Member

Jarod Martinolich is from Metairie, LA and graduated from Archbishop Rummel...

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