On Saturday, March 15, former president Bill Clinton led a rally at Tulane University to raise a volunteer army of young people. Several miles away, Doug Stringer of Somebody Cares America/International was leading a time of prayer and blessing over an already active army of youth volunteers from across the U.S., converged to bring New Orleans both practical and spiritual help.

Now in week two of “Converge: Somebody Still Cares New Orleans,” teens are helping with the opening of a new skate park in St. Bernard Parish and hosting a block party and barbecue dinner in the Ninth Ward—steak and ribs donated by Angel Food Ministries—among other support.

Stringer issued the APB from New Orleans six months ago during a second-year assessment of Katrina relief work. “Crime was rising, kids were hanging out on streets, and people were battling depression and suicide,” Stringer says.  “Local pastors were waving red flags to the body of Christ at large.”

In response, Stringer called for Christian leaders from across the U.S. to see firsthand the lack of material, financial, and manpower. “Imagine the result,” he urged, “if we, the church, seized the chance to rebuild what’s called a ‘sin city’ on a godly foundation.”

On March 10, Mark Roye from BloodNFire/Somebody Cares San Antonio led the first teams into New Orleans as youth groups and work teams participated in projects alongside local ministries. By Friday, March 14, more young people arrived for the “Macedonia Gathering” weekend, along with prayer leaders, pastors, and others who came to pray for and commit to long-term rebuilding. The result: a burgeoning army of youth volunteers spreading out from the New Orleans Dream Center.

Volunteers came from Houston, Pearland, Stafford, Clear Lake, and San Antonio in Texas; Haverhill, Mass.; Nashville, Tenn.; Monroe and Chickamauga in Georgia; Denver, Col.; and Baltimore, Md.  Angel Food Ministries network was backed by 4,000 churches. Gideon Stanley is connected to prayer networks in India. Prayer networks in nine nations supported the outreach.

“Tremendous need is tremendous opportunity,” Stringer said.  “I see the future of New Orleans coming back to life as an emerging generation of young people pour in their time and talents, as our former generation comes alongside to empower them and release them into their destinies.  As long as there’s a need, Somebody Cares America is here.”

Somebody Cares is the Houston-based outreach arm of Turning Point Ministries International, founded in 1981 by Doug Stringer to reach the down-and-out with food, material goods, and God’s word. Somebody Cares is known for uniting pastors on behalf of cities—in models duplicated across the world.  In 2005, Somebody Cares was a key player in relief efforts after Hurricane Katrina, helping distribute some $30 million of in-kind gifts and donations. Somebody Cares America helped hundreds of churches and ministries supply crisis and long-term relief on-site in New Orleans, Picayune, and Southeast Texas, while helping more than 250,000 evacuees in Houston and many more relocated to San Antonio, Austin, Dallas, and Denver.