Headwaters Relief Organization Incorporated

Bringing Hope, Building Resiliency Headwaters seeks to inspire passion to serve others. We forge connections between those who are being served, the Headwaters team and the community at large. We work to ensure that every volunteer, regardless of age, background, skills, or experience, feels valued and motivated to continue to serve others.

Grassroots to Global ImpactHeadwaters Relief Organization grew out of a grassroots response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Since then we have evolved and diversified. Our early efforts included assisting with clean-up and re-building of homes locally and nationally. Today our services have expanded to include public health, education, psychosocial and medical support and international responses. One of our longest operational project is the Walk-in Mental Health Resource Center.

In New Orleans' Ninth Ward, one of the most devastated areas of the city. Initially we assisted with gutting and interior debris clean up. As more volunteers joined us, we developed partnerships with other organizations and moved into re-building. Since 2007 Headwaters' volunteers committed to long-term support of the Ninth Ward community and we opened a walk-in mental resource health center. The resource center offers free counseling, referral to other resources if needed and community education to those who might not otherwise have access to mental health support. Now we have transitioned our resource center as a Youth center to support the unmet needs of children in that area.

Testimonials

Headwaters Relief is an incredible organization that focuses on building up mental wellness with children and families recovering from a disaster. We supported them in 2020 on a project in Puerto Rico, and a book for children to process the pandemic. This partnership may not have happened without the assistance of DelRae Messer, who has actively volunteered with Headwaters since the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. - ISA Foundation