Travelers Aid Society of Greater New Orleans Executive Director Donna Paramore

Executive Director, Travelers Aid Society of Greater New Orleans

Travelers Aid Society of Greater New Orleans Executive Director Donna Paramore
Photo by Theresa Cassagne

Founded in 1908, the New Orleans Travelers Aid Society provides various services to homeless or stranded individuals throughout the city. Their mission is to end homelessness by providing support to those who need it the most. Current programs include the Journey Home Permanent Supportive Housing initiative, the Unsheltered Permanent Supportive Housing program, and extensive outreach programs. Rental assistance, counseling, emergency shelter vouchers, and meals are only a few of this long-running organization’s services.

As someone who has worked in social services in New Orleans since 2015, Donna Paramore was drawn to the Travelers Aid Society mission. A New Orleans native, Paramore saw the increase in the population of people living on the street, or in encampments, in the past few years. Due in part to rising housing and healthcare costs, the homeless population in New Orleans began growing in 2020, increasing for the first time in over 10 years, according to Nola.gov. Paramore joined the Travelers Aid Society in 2020 to help further their mission to end homelessness by providing extensive resources to those in need.

By drawing on her prior experience with organizations such as Clover New Orleans, Girl Scouts of Louisiana East, and KIPP New Orleans, Paramore immediately got involved with the Travelers Aid Society’s goals. The Travelers Aid Society team served over 6,000 individuals experiencing homelessness, distributed 9,300 vouchers for overnight shelter, and helped nearly 300 people obtain employment. They work tirelessly to meet homeless individuals where they are and pave the way toward self-sufficiency.

When she first joined the organization, the team included ten staff members. Now, a team of 40 individuals are devoted to carrying out the Travelers Aid Society mission. This includes a dedicated outreach team of ten individuals, the largest outreach staff of its kind in the state of Louisiana.

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The outreach team is a crucial component of the Travelers Aid Society. In the past, services for homeless individuals required them to visit a physical office, which created barriers in itself. In some instances, individuals were reluctant to leave their belongings behind to go into an office to qualify for housing. With the outreach team, however, the staff go out into the streets every day and complete every step of the process on-site. Services include housing applications, applying for food stamps, SNAP, and Medicaid, and identification. With all of these services transitioned to the streets, the team has reached many more individuals.

As Paramore explained, getting people set up with a safe space to live is not the only goal. Rather, a tremendous amount of ongoing support is also required.

“I wish more people knew what it takes to support clients,” said Paramore. Meeting people on the streets, giving them a safe place to live, and continuing to help them after they are in a home is a continuous process. “You can’t put someone in a house after years or decades of living on the street and expect it to be a seamless transition,” said Paramore. Many people still need support once they are housed.

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To this end, the organization helps people transition to permanent supportive housing. Case managers are assigned a caseload of 10 to 25 formerly homeless individuals, and they help provide support for them once they are housed. They work with the clients to meet a plethora of needs, such as making medical appointments or ensuring they have an adequate food supply. They may even address any issues with the housing units they are living in. As the name implies, these case managers continue providing support to those who are now permanently housed.

Addressing the issue of homelessness within New Orleans is a tremendous task. But with Paramore and her excellent team at the helm, the Travelers Aid Society is set to continue helping the city’s most vulnerable residents transition to safe, self-sufficient living spaces for many more years to come.

Get Involved

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The Travelers Aid Society welcomes monetary donations, as well as gently used furnishings and household goods for those who are starting their new living situation in an apartment. Furniture donations are particularly welcome.

Because a great deal of the Travelers Aid Society work is funded by federal dollars, there are some restrictions on the types of outreach services they can provide. Monetary donations from individuals can help provide more holistic care, such as clothing from Goodwill or a shower. Visit the website to learn more about ways to support the Travelers Aid Society.

Contact

1530 Gravier St. New Orleans, LA 70112
travelersaidsocietyneworleans.org
504-658-2944

 

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