A New Orleans councilwoman and a national charity founder disagree about why more than 70 University students were forced to change their holiday plans after a hurricane relief trip to New Orleans was suddenly canceled during the winter break.
Students participating in HART 4 Humanity, a national service organization that stands for Hurricane Aid and Revitalization Tour, were informed by an e-mail from charity founder Jim Sugarman about the cancellation of the group’s planned trip to New Orleans – days before the group was supposed to embark.
Sugarman wrote on the organization’s Web site that the event was canceled because several New Orleanians and companies thought his charity was “screwing things up more than helping.”
The charity worked with Student Government to plan the New Orleans service trip from Dec. 28 to 30. Students were informed on Dec. 23 about the trip’s cancellation.
The SG-endorsed event, coordinated by SG Director of Public Service Emily Courtney, was designed by Sugarman. Sugarman said the project’s goal was to repair New Orleans’ parks and playgrounds.
“I am honestly shocked that New Orleans officials would turn down young, enthusiastic, abled bodies to help beautify the parks and playgrounds for families and children in New Orleans,” Courtney wrote in an e-mail to volunteers.
Sugarman said he never intended to cause difficulty for New Orleans residents and attributed the trip’s cancellation to “Louisiana politics.”
Sugarman said the conflict began when a construction company, which he would not name, donated more than $100,000 to a park that it did not realize would be a Federal Emergency Management Agency trailer park. When Sugarman asked New Orleans Councilwoman Jacquelyn Brechtel Clarkson and Friends of New Orleans Recreation Department for donations, he said the company, a non-profit corporation supporting New Orleans’ recreation, developed ill-feelings toward HART 4 Humanity.
When asked about the allegations from Sugarman, Clarkson said she was “highly insulted” that Sugarman accused her of mishandling the event.
“Mr. Sugarman canceled it. we didn’t,” Clarkson said. “He canceled it because he said there wasn’t enough cooperation.”
Clarkson said Sugarman agreed to bring his own financial resources to New Orleans, but when he did not have enough resources, he began calling private donors to request funds.
Clarkson said her office received calls from donors who were upset about the calls from Sugarman because they had already made large contributions to Friends of NORD.
“It was becoming a nightmare,” Clarkson said. “We went to the wall on this.”
Clarkson said her office spent more time helping Sugarman than other non-profit workers.
“I have not turned down any free help in this city yet,” Clarkson said. “I am not that stupid.”
Sugarman said his intentions were always pure and good-hearted, and he was upset to disappoint college students.
“The students from LSU were absolutely fantastic,” Sugarman said. “Unfortunately, Louisiana politics won out.”
Sugarman declined to comment on Clarkson’s statements, instead saying, “I wish Councilwoman Clarkson and New Orleans nothing but the best. My heart goes out to the city.”
Sugarman’s Web site for the charity was no longer available on Jan. 12, less than a day after being informed about Clarkson’s statements.
 
Contact Amy Brittain at [email protected]