Two Jones Walker teams recently contributed two work days to the New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity Bench-Bar Project 2004, a joint project of Habitat for Humanity and attorneys and members of the state and federal judiciary.  The Bench-Bar Project 2004 is one of several annual house-building projects of New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity, whose commitment is to provide decent, safe, affordable housing opportunities to  hard-working, deserving, low-income neighbors.  Litigation attorneys Andy Lee (a Habitat board member), Nikko Fischer, Aimee Quirk, and Emily Eagan made up the Jones Walker work detail on November 12.  Labor Relations & Employment attorneys Mark Adams (practice chair and a member of Jones Walker's Executive Committee), Jennifer Anderson, Jane Heidingsfelder, Tom Hubert, Joe Lavigne, Amanda Jones, Shelley Sullivan, Rob Worley (a Habitat board member), and Alia Zohur helped complete the Bench-Bar House on November 20.  The Jones Walker volunteers painted, caulked, washed windows, dug dirt, raked, swept, hauled trash, whacked weeds, seeded grass, performed carpentry, and installed siding and insulation.  Several of the Jones Walker attorneys also participated in dedication ceremonies for two Habitat houses on November 20, including the Bench-Bar House, in which deserving homeowner families received the keys to the homes they helped build. The dedication ceremonies were led by Habitat Board member and Jones Walker Litigation partner Andy Lee and several federal judges.

"We learned some new skills, had fun working together, and most importantly enjoyed giving something back to our community through this most worthwhile project, " said Mark Adams, Jones Walker Executive Committee member and Labor Relations & Employment chair. "It was especially rewarding to us to see how much the new Habitat homeowner families appreciated our work."

Habitat for Humanity is a non-profit, ecumenical Christian organization dedicated to eliminating poverty housing worldwide.  The organization brings together diverse groups of individuals to build decent, affordable houses for deserving families. The homes are sold to those in need at no profit through no-interest loans. New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity has built 89 homes in the metropolitan area since it was established in 1983 and over 25 homes in the last two years.

Jones Walker is a platinum sponsor of the Bench-Bar 2004 Project and is proud to support New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity and other organizations that are making a difference in the communities we serve.