Sweet Home New Orleans

Could the powerful forces of Katrina that nearly wiped out the physical foundation of a city also destroy its cultural foundation? Not when there are dedicated residents like Lynn O’Shea and her organization Sweet Home New Orleans working to preserve the musical heritage that no force of nature could destroy.

“New Orleans has been calling to me for thirty years, but the opportunity never presented itself to move down here, and then this [Sweet Home New Orleans] happened and here I am.” Lynn O’Shea is one of many dedicated staff members at Sweet Home New Orleans, a non-profit organization working to help preserve New Orleans’ rich culture by offering social services and financial assistance to musicians, Mardi Gras Indians and members of the Social Aid and Pleasure clubs. Post-Katrina, the organization has been hugely influential in helping musicians and other cultural icons find homes to move back to and offering mental and physical support in the rebuilding process.

“A job had presented itself and I came down in August of ‘05 to find a house, and then Katrina happened.” Lynn, like her co-worker Katherine Dobson, had been lured to New Orleans for its rich culture and music before Katrina. After the storm, both Lynn, who went to grad school to study non-profit management, and Katherine, who during her time at university felt a calling to the non-profit world, found a home at Sweet Home New Orleans. Through the generous support of many organizations and private sponsorship, Lynn and Katherine, along with their co-workers, have helped over 1,700 musicians and Mardi Gras Indians return to the city.

Music has always been an important part of what New Orleans means to the people that live here and the people who come here. After the storm, local legendary musicians were spread out all over the world with little means to move back and rebuild. Most musicians do not make large salaries, but they were able to make a living playing in New Orleans. Sweet Home New Orleans recognizes how important it is for the rebuilding of the city that musicians move back and continue performing in a place recognized as an entertainment destination. While most musicians who have returned home are not quite able to make a living playing yet, every week more opportunities are arising and venues re-opening. With tourism building back up, Sweet Home is feeling pretty optimistic.

In the welcoming sunny courtyard of their office, Lynn and Katherine smile. “We are a centrally located, easily accessible place people can come to if they want to talk or need help fixing their roof or money for their mortgage. We want to help and will work with anyone to make it happen.”