GLNO Welcomes Limitless Vistas!

This week GLNO began working with a group of fabulous new volunteers from Limitless Vistas, a non-profit organization that seeks to restore the Gulf Coast while simultaneously helping disadvantaged youth.  The organization employees’ high school to college aged volunteers who are interested in helping the environment, and provides them with valuable technical certification classes, on-site experience, community service opportunities, and life-skills and support services.  The training programs the students participate in are also relevant to the community, and include topics such as wetlands restoration, organic horticulture, soil/water sampling, and urban-planning and development.

The organization was founded in 2006 by Patrick A. Barnes, an EPA Technical Assistant Grant advisor, and was founded on the premise that “the greatest opportunity coincides with the greatest need”.   The first class of Vistas graduates received several certifications during the program, and all found successful jobs with environmental companies or working in construction and home improvement.  All of these jobs earn wages of $12 – $17 an hour.  Today, Vistas has continued to grow, and now has quarterly cycles with 30 students in each cycle.  In addition to the great job services they receive during the program, students now also receive an Americorps Education Award of $1,250

This week the latest round of Limitless Vista participants began volunteering at GLNO.  The volunteers will help out 2 to 3 times a week and are a huge help!  Thank you Vistas volunteers and thank you Vistas for helping needy communities in New Orleans, restoring the Gulf and our environment, and for providing such wonderful opportunities to such great and deserving kids!  We can’t wait to continue working with y’all in the future!

To read more about Limitless Vistas, visit their website at: http://www.limitlessvistas.org/