As you no doubt know, a category 4 (potential category 5) hurricane is headed toward Louisiana and will be making landfall just to the East of New Orleans later today.
Please keep us in your thoughts, and reach out with any questions you might have. Some of our team is sheltering in place, some of us have evacuated - we are all more than aware of the catastrophic damage a hurricane can do, and are taking every precaution.
We will keep in touch with you, and will be updating our social media (links below) to let you, our lowernine.org family, know what is happening, what we are doing, and what you might be able to do to help.
If you are in Louisiana, and need help, contact us at info@lowernine.org, by phone at 504.344.4884, or on any of our social media. Stay safe! Thank you for all you do for the Lower Ninth Ward, for food security, and for housing here. We expect the next several weeks to be busy ones, and we will keep you updated.
Laura and the lowernine.org team p.s. if you are interested in volunteering with us, email volunteer @ lowernine.org We are hiring an Americorps Crew Leader and and Americorps Outreach Coordinator for the September 2021 - July 2022 service year! If you, or someone you know, are interested, then please visit https://lowernine.org/get-involved/opportunities/ to learn more and apply. Can't volunteer or join our team? Consider donating today! lowernine.org info @ lowernine.org 504.278.1240 Connect with us lowernine.org | 6018 El Dorado Street, New Orleans, LA 70117
- We completed plumbing and electrical work on over 40 homes.
- We completed small repairs on an additional 20 homes.
- In Spring of this year, we initiated our urban farming program, which we plan to expand throughout the neighborhood.
- We hosted and trained nearly a thousand volunteers, from all over the country and the world.
- We ran a summer day camp, with All Souls Episcopal Church, for the children of our community.
- We upgraded our website and launched our quarterly e-newsletter to keep folks better informed about what we're doing (if you'd like to receive quarterly updates on our progress, please make sure you send us your email address by emailing us at: info@lowernine.org
- We completed major upgrades to our volunteer housing facility/office space, to make it more energy efficient and more comfortable for our volunteers.
- We have partnered with the United Way of Greater New Orleans in a pilot program of the Louisiana Home Finance Agency, the first of its kind in New Orleans designed to leverage government funding through non-profit rebuilding efforts.
And, last but not least, the efforts of our volunteers and staff represented over 1 million dollars in labor costs, which our low-income clients would not have been able to bear without the help of lowernine.org.
All the work that we have been able to accomplish is due to the contributions of folks just like you, and, while we understand that the economic outlook in the country right now seems a bit bleak, we are asking you to consider just how far we are making every dollar we receive stretch in order to do this important work. In that spirit, we hope that you will make a donation this holiday season to help us continue to rebuild and restore hope in the Lower Ninth Ward.
Thank you, and happy holidays from our residents, volunteers, staff and board of directors of lowernine.org!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
excerpts from Newletter spring/summer 2009 volume 1, issue 1
[These sites, like the rest of the Lower Ninth Ward, are under construction! There's still some good information there, and if you need more, you can call our office at (504) 278-1240.]
Let me begin by saying thank-you to all our generous donors and our hard-working
volunteers. We would never be able to carry on rebuilding homes in the Lower Ninth Ward without them.
To date, lowernine.org has worked on over 60 properties. 15 families have returned to homes completely rebuilt by lowernine.org and another 10 families have returned home with assistance from us - a total of 75 residents of the Lower Ninth Ward.
We still need your help. We at lowernine.org know these are tough economic times, and we don't need to tell you, our stakeholders and friends that in times of need, the services nonprofit organizations provide their communities are that much more important.
This spring, please consider a donation to lowernine.org. Click here
[http://www.lowernine.org/donate.html] for more information on how to help.
Consider taking a page out of Lauren Goldberg's book. Lauren volunteered with lowernine.org and is getting married this summer. Instead of bridal shower gifts, her guests have been encouraged to make donations to lowernine.org on her behalf - thanks, Lauren, and thanks to your friends and family! Congratulations on your upcoming marriage - lowernine.org wishes you all the very best!
Birthdays, baby showers, and other occasions also offer the opportunity to give
back. Please contact us if you want to arrange something similar.
Again, thanks for all your support. Please share our mission and our information
with family and friends, and please stay in touch.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
rebuilding homes. restoring services. reviving hope. reaching out.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Since we began our rebuilding work in November 2007, we have moved nine families into their homes, beautified hundreds of yards and public spaces, assisted in the renovation of a new community center, and established a community garden. We are now able to fund the installation of electric and plumbing in 50 Lower Ninth Ward homes through a generous donation from the Midler Family Foundation, and we have just welcomed our 700th volunteer, bringing the number of L9 volunteer hours worked on local rebuild projects to just over 26,000.
October marked the one year anniversary of lowernine.org's official arrival in the Lower Ninth Ward. Last October, lowernine.org was donated and began rebuilding the home on El Dorado Street that acts as our headquarters/volunteer housing facility.
This fall, however, marks the second anniversary of founder and executive director Rick Prose's first trip to New Orleans post-Katrina - a trip that sparked the idea that unskilled volunteers could play an important role in the rebuilding of homes in the Lower Nine.
Starting with nothing but a will to help one family recover what was taken from
them on August 29th, 2005, the organization was granted 501(c)3 tax-exempt status, has raised enough money to remain in operation for the past year, hosted over 700 volunteers from all parts of the country, and returned nine families to their homes to date.
In addition to rebuilding, our volunteers have performed a variety of jobs, including vacant lot maintenance, neighborhood cleanup, community gardening, surveying, organizing a neighborhood farmers' market, and offering volunteer assitance to other nonprofits in the community.
"This neighborhood has welcomed us with open arms," says lowernine.org's Director of Development Laura Paul. "Our ability to bring people together from all over the country and put them to work rebuilding this community is so meaningful. We are all lucky to be a part of the process, and we all feel that, whether we stay for a day or commit for the long haul. The residents feel that, and they respect and welcome it."
Executive Director Rick Prose adds, "This all started very much on a wing and a
prayer. A year ago all we had was a commitment of financial support sufficient to keep the organization afloat for a few months. We had our house donated along with some basic tools and equipment, but we had no paid staff and no idea if we would be able to generate enough interest among volunteers to make this thing work."
"Well, it has worked. It is working. And we're getting folks back in their homes. Kind of amazing, eh?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This summer saw the return of the Bradley family - the first of the families whose homes have been fully or partially rebuilt through the efforts of lowernine.org's staff and volunteers. What an exciting time!
In July, Roy Bradley, his wife Danielle, and their two daughters Nasjae and Daisjah moved back into their home on El Dorado Street after living in a FEMA trailer for almost two years. "I would like to say that [lowernine.org] has really made my life back whole again with all the help they have given me and my family here in the Lower Ninth Ward. Without the help...I just don't know where we would be right now." Bradley said.
The family are not only enjoying being back home after more than three years, they are giving back by allowing lowernine.org access to storage on their property for tools and equipment. All part of the spirit of cooperation and supprt that makes up a true neighborhood.
In addition to the Bradleys, lowernine.org has assisted eight other families in
returning to their homes in the Lower Ninth Ward. It is our great honor to have
helped them in their recovery, and we look forward to the opportunites that 2009 will afford us in our continued efforts in rebuilding not only homes, but the community in which they stand.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Based upon the work that lowernine.org began early this year to support the Laurentine Ernst Community Garden (the only community garden still surviving in the neighborhood) we have begun a large-scale community gardening/urban farming initiative, which we hope to buildinto a self-sustaining Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) operation by the summer of 2009.
Long-term volunteers Brennan Dougherty and husband Gustavo Chacon-Rojas arrived
in the spring of 2008 with the idea that they would volunteer for a time, then buy land and start a farm. After discussions with lowernine.org's executive director, a lifelong proponent of alternative agricultural models, they decided that the time was right to conduct an intensive experiment right here in the Lower Ninth Ward.
By obtaining leases from owners of lots in the neighborhood upon which houses no longer stand, lowernine.org are establishing a network of community garden spaces and have identified one parcel large enough to make growing organic vegetables feasible on a larger scale.
In addition to providing residents with readily available healthy food choices (in a neighborhood which still does not have a grocery store) the gardens will educate about organic backyard agriculture and nutrition, and provide a series of green spaces within the urban environment. lowernine.org has joined with other community groups to form the Lower Ninth Ward Urban Farming Coalition and we are testing soils, building raised beds, hauling topsoil, making compost, planning upcoming classes for children and adults and looking forward to the harvest!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tue Aug 31 00:00:00 +0000 2021 by tfri:address: 6018 El Dorado Street -> 627 Lamanche St
New Orleans, LA 70117
notes: via email 8-29-21
Hurricane Ida watch from the Lower Ninth Ward in New Orleans Greetings!
As you no doubt know, a category 4 (potential category 5) hurricane is headed toward Louisiana and will be making landfall just to the East of New Orleans later today.
Please keep us in your thoughts, and reach out with any questions you might have. Some of our team is sheltering in place, some of us have evacuated - we are all more than aware of the catastrophic damage a hurricane can do, and are taking every precaution.
We will keep in touch with you, and will be updating our social media (links below) to let you, our lowernine.org family, know what is happening, what we are doing, and what you might be able to do to help.
If you are in Louisiana, and need help, contact us at info@lowernine.org, by phone at 504.344.4884, or on any of our social media. Stay safe! Thank you for all you do for the Lower Ninth Ward, for food security, and for housing here. We expect the next several weeks to be busy ones, and we will keep you updated.
Laura and the lowernine.org team p.s. if you are interested in volunteering with us, email volunteer @ lowernine.org We are hiring an Americorps Crew Leader and and Americorps Outreach Coordinator for the September 2021 - July 2022 service year! If you, or someone you know, are interested, then please visit https://lowernine.org/get-involved/opportunities/ to learn more and apply. Can't volunteer or join our team? Consider donating today! lowernine.org info @ lowernine.org 504.278.1240 Connect with us lowernine.org | 6018 El Dorado Street, New Orleans, LA 70117
***
Happy Holidays from lowernine.org
December/2009
Thank you for your support this year!
Season's greetings!
At this joyous time of year we want to thank all of you who have made the work that we are doing on behalf of the residents of the Lower Ninth Ward possible. Here are just a few of the things we have been able to accomplish in the past year, thanks to your support:
This year we returned 14 families to their homes, for a total of 28 in the last two years. Our 29th and 30th families will be returning home within weeks!
- We completed plumbing and electrical work on over 40 homes.
- We completed small repairs on an additional 20 homes.
- In Spring of this year, we initiated our urban farming program, which we plan to expand throughout the neighborhood.
- We hosted and trained nearly a thousand volunteers, from all over the country and the world.
- We ran a summer day camp, with All Souls Episcopal Church, for the children of our community.
- We upgraded our website and launched our quarterly e-newsletter to keep folks better informed about what we're doing (if you'd like to receive quarterly updates on our progress, please make sure you send us your email address by emailing us at: info@lowernine.org
- We completed major upgrades to our volunteer housing facility/office space, to make it more energy efficient and more comfortable for our volunteers.
- We have partnered with the United Way of Greater New Orleans in a pilot program of the Louisiana Home Finance Agency, the first of its kind in New Orleans designed to leverage government funding through non-profit rebuilding efforts.
And, last but not least, the efforts of our volunteers and staff represented over 1 million dollars in labor costs, which our low-income clients would not have been able to bear without the help of lowernine.org.
All the work that we have been able to accomplish is due to the contributions of folks just like you, and, while we understand that the economic outlook in the country right now seems a bit bleak, we are asking you to consider just how far we are making every dollar we receive stretch in order to do this important work. In that spirit, we hope that you will make a donation this holiday season to help us continue to rebuild and restore hope in the Lower Ninth Ward.
Thank you, and happy holidays from our residents, volunteers, staff and board of directors of lowernine.org!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
excerpts from Newletter spring/summer 2009 volume 1, issue 1
Links to projects:
Community Revitalization Through Urban Agriculture
http://www.lowernineurbanfarming.org/
http://eggplantbrigade.blogspot.com/
[These sites, like the rest of the Lower Ninth Ward, are under construction! There's still some good information there, and if you need more, you can call our office at (504) 278-1240.]
A spring update
from executive director
Rick Prose
Let me begin by saying thank-you to all our generous donors and our hard-working
volunteers. We would never be able to carry on rebuilding homes in the Lower Ninth Ward without them.
To date, lowernine.org has worked on over 60 properties. 15 families have returned to homes completely rebuilt by lowernine.org and another 10 families have returned home with assistance from us - a total of 75 residents of the Lower Ninth Ward.
We still need your help. We at lowernine.org know these are tough economic times, and we don't need to tell you, our stakeholders and friends that in times of need, the services nonprofit organizations provide their communities are that much more important.
This spring, please consider a donation to lowernine.org. Click here
[http://www.lowernine.org/donate.html] for more information on how to help.
Consider taking a page out of Lauren Goldberg's book. Lauren volunteered with lowernine.org and is getting married this summer. Instead of bridal shower gifts, her guests have been encouraged to make donations to lowernine.org on her behalf - thanks, Lauren, and thanks to your friends and family! Congratulations on your upcoming marriage - lowernine.org wishes you all the very best!
Birthdays, baby showers, and other occasions also offer the opportunity to give
back. Please contact us if you want to arrange something similar.
Again, thanks for all your support. Please share our mission and our information
with family and friends, and please stay in touch.
In service,
Rick Prose
executive director
lowernine.org
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
lowernine.orgnews
fall/winter 2008
volume 1, issue 1
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
rebuilding homes. restoring services. reviving hope. reaching out.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Danny Bourque / The Times-Picayune
Dear lowernine.org friends;
Please take a moment to revisit the Lower Ninth Ward and catch up with us and our work here by reading this newsletter. You have helped make this possible!
We want to thank each of you for the time and energy you have committed to both
lowernine.org and the residents of the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans. Our work here is far from finished, but it is thrilling and encouraging to see all that is getting accomplished through the dedication and hard work of our generous volunteers and donors.
Since we began our rebuilding work in November 2007, we have moved nine families into their homes, beautified hundreds of yards and public spaces, assisted in the renovation of a new community center, and established a community garden. We are now able to fund the installation of electric and plumbing in 50 Lower Ninth Ward homes through a generous donation from the Midler Family Foundation, and we have just welcomed our 700th volunteer, bringing the number of L9 volunteer hours worked on local rebuild projects to just over 26,000.
In This Issue
One Year On
Families Return Home
One Volunteer's Story
Community Garden/Urban Farming
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
One Year On
October marked the one year anniversary of lowernine.org's official arrival in the Lower Ninth Ward. Last October, lowernine.org was donated and began rebuilding the home on El Dorado Street that acts as our headquarters/volunteer housing facility.
This fall, however, marks the second anniversary of founder and executive director Rick Prose's first trip to New Orleans post-Katrina - a trip that sparked the idea that unskilled volunteers could play an important role in the rebuilding of homes in the Lower Nine.
Starting with nothing but a will to help one family recover what was taken from
them on August 29th, 2005, the organization was granted 501(c)3 tax-exempt status, has raised enough money to remain in operation for the past year, hosted over 700 volunteers from all parts of the country, and returned nine families to their homes to date.
In addition to rebuilding, our volunteers have performed a variety of jobs, including vacant lot maintenance, neighborhood cleanup, community gardening, surveying, organizing a neighborhood farmers' market, and offering volunteer assitance to other nonprofits in the community.
"This neighborhood has welcomed us with open arms," says lowernine.org's Director of Development Laura Paul. "Our ability to bring people together from all over the country and put them to work rebuilding this community is so meaningful. We are all lucky to be a part of the process, and we all feel that, whether we stay for a day or commit for the long haul. The residents feel that, and they respect and welcome it."
Executive Director Rick Prose adds, "This all started very much on a wing and a
prayer. A year ago all we had was a commitment of financial support sufficient to keep the organization afloat for a few months. We had our house donated along with some basic tools and equipment, but we had no paid staff and no idea if we would be able to generate enough interest among volunteers to make this thing work."
"Well, it has worked. It is working. And we're getting folks back in their homes. Kind of amazing, eh?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Families Return Home
This summer saw the return of the Bradley family - the first of the families whose homes have been fully or partially rebuilt through the efforts of lowernine.org's staff and volunteers. What an exciting time!
In July, Roy Bradley, his wife Danielle, and their two daughters Nasjae and Daisjah moved back into their home on El Dorado Street after living in a FEMA trailer for almost two years. "I would like to say that [lowernine.org] has really made my life back whole again with all the help they have given me and my family here in the Lower Ninth Ward. Without the help...I just don't know where we would be right now." Bradley said.
The family are not only enjoying being back home after more than three years, they are giving back by allowing lowernine.org access to storage on their property for tools and equipment. All part of the spirit of cooperation and supprt that makes up a true neighborhood.
In addition to the Bradleys, lowernine.org has assisted eight other families in
returning to their homes in the Lower Ninth Ward. It is our great honor to have
helped them in their recovery, and we look forward to the opportunites that 2009 will afford us in our continued efforts in rebuilding not only homes, but the community in which they stand.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Community Garden/Urban Farming
Based upon the work that lowernine.org began early this year to support the Laurentine Ernst Community Garden (the only community garden still surviving in the neighborhood) we have begun a large-scale community gardening/urban farming initiative, which we hope to buildinto a self-sustaining Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) operation by the summer of 2009.
Long-term volunteers Brennan Dougherty and husband Gustavo Chacon-Rojas arrived
in the spring of 2008 with the idea that they would volunteer for a time, then buy land and start a farm. After discussions with lowernine.org's executive director, a lifelong proponent of alternative agricultural models, they decided that the time was right to conduct an intensive experiment right here in the Lower Ninth Ward.
By obtaining leases from owners of lots in the neighborhood upon which houses no longer stand, lowernine.org are establishing a network of community garden spaces and have identified one parcel large enough to make growing organic vegetables feasible on a larger scale.
In addition to providing residents with readily available healthy food choices (in a neighborhood which still does not have a grocery store) the gardens will educate about organic backyard agriculture and nutrition, and provide a series of green spaces within the urban environment. lowernine.org has joined with other community groups to form the Lower Ninth Ward Urban Farming Coalition and we are testing soils, building raised beds, hauling topsoil, making compost, planning upcoming classes for children and adults and looking forward to the harvest!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Our Sponsors
The United Way of Greater New Orleans
CHF International,
The Denver Foundation
The Annenberg Foundation
The Midler Family Foundation
The Otto and Fran Walter Foundation
The Annenberg Foundation
The Midler Family Foundation
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-> via email 8-29-21
Hurricane Ida watch from the Lower Ninth Ward in New Orleans Greetings!
As you no doubt know, a category 4 (potential category 5) hurricane is headed toward Louisiana and will be making landfall just to the East of New Orleans later today.
Please keep us in your thoughts, and reach out with any questions you might have. Some of our team is sheltering in place, some of us have evacuated - we are all more than aware of the catastrophic damage a hurricane can do, and are taking every precaution.
We will keep in touch with you, and will be updating our social media (links below) to let you, our lowernine.org family, know what is happening, what we are doing, and what you might be able to do to help.
If you are in Louisiana, and need help, contact us at info@lowernine.org, by phone at 504.344.4884, or on any of our social media. Stay safe! Thank you for all you do for the Lower Ninth Ward, for food security, and for housing here. We expect the next several weeks to be busy ones, and we will keep you updated.
Laura and the lowernine.org team p.s. if you are interested in volunteering with us, email volunteer @ lowernine.org We are hiring an Americorps Crew Leader and and Americorps Outreach Coordinator for the September 2021 - July 2022 service year! If you, or someone you know, are interested, then please visit https://lowernine.org/get-involved/opportunities/ to learn more and apply. Can't volunteer or join our team? Consider donating today! lowernine.org info @ lowernine.org 504.278.1240 Connect with us lowernine.org | 6018 El Dorado Street, New Orleans, LA 70117
***
old address: 6018 El Dorado Street
***
Happy Holidays from lowernine.org
December/2009
Thank you for your support this year!
Season's greetings!
At this joyous time of year we want to thank all of you who have made the work that we are doing on behalf of the residents of the Lower Ninth Ward possible. Here are just a few of the things we have been able to accomplish in the past year, thanks to your support:
This year we returned 14 families to their homes, for a total of 28 in the last two years. Our 29th and 30th families will be returning home within weeks!
- We completed plumbing and electrical work on over 40 homes.
- We completed small repairs on an additional 20 homes.
- In Spring of this year, we initiated our urban farming program, which we plan to expand throughout the neighborhood.
- We hosted and trained nearly a thousand volunteers, from all over the country and the world.
- We ran a summer day camp, with All Souls Episcopal Church, for the children of our community.
- We upgraded our website and launched our quarterly e-newsletter to keep folks better informed about what we're doing (if you'd like to receive quarterly updates on our progress, please make sure you send us your email address by emailing us at: info@lowernine.org
- We completed major upgrades to our volunteer housing facility/office space, to make it more energy efficient and more comfortable for our volunteers.
- We have partnered with the United Way of Greater New Orleans in a pilot program of the Louisiana Home Finance Agency, the first of its kind in New Orleans designed to leverage government funding through non-profit rebuilding efforts.
And, last but not least, the efforts of our volunteers and staff represented over 1 million dollars in labor costs, which our low-income clients would not have been able to bear without the help of lowernine.org.
All the work that we have been able to accomplish is due to the contributions of folks just like you, and, while we understand that the economic outlook in the country right now seems a bit bleak, we are asking you to consider just how far we are making every dollar we receive stretch in order to do this important work. In that spirit, we hope that you will make a donation this holiday season to help us continue to rebuild and restore hope in the Lower Ninth Ward.
Thank you, and happy holidays from our residents, volunteers, staff and board of directors of lowernine.org!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
excerpts from Newletter spring/summer 2009 volume 1, issue 1
Links to projects:
Community Revitalization Through Urban Agriculture
http://www.lowernineurbanfarming.org/
http://eggplantbrigade.blogspot.com/
[These sites, like the rest of the Lower Ninth Ward, are under construction! There's still some good information there, and if you need more, you can call our office at (504) 278-1240.]
A spring update
from executive director
Rick Prose
Let me begin by saying thank-you to all our generous donors and our hard-working
volunteers. We would never be able to carry on rebuilding homes in the Lower Ninth Ward without them.
To date, lowernine.org has worked on over 60 properties. 15 families have returned to homes completely rebuilt by lowernine.org and another 10 families have returned home with assistance from us - a total of 75 residents of the Lower Ninth Ward.
We still need your help. We at lowernine.org know these are tough economic times, and we don't need to tell you, our stakeholders and friends that in times of need, the services nonprofit organizations provide their communities are that much more important.
This spring, please consider a donation to lowernine.org. Click here
[http://www.lowernine.org/donate.html] for more information on how to help.
Consider taking a page out of Lauren Goldberg's book. Lauren volunteered with lowernine.org and is getting married this summer. Instead of bridal shower gifts, her guests have been encouraged to make donations to lowernine.org on her behalf - thanks, Lauren, and thanks to your friends and family! Congratulations on your upcoming marriage - lowernine.org wishes you all the very best!
Birthdays, baby showers, and other occasions also offer the opportunity to give
back. Please contact us if you want to arrange something similar.
Again, thanks for all your support. Please share our mission and our information
with family and friends, and please stay in touch.
In service,
Rick Prose
executive director
lowernine.org
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
lowernine.orgnews
fall/winter 2008
volume 1, issue 1
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
rebuilding homes. restoring services. reviving hope. reaching out.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Danny Bourque / The Times-Picayune
Dear lowernine.org friends;
Please take a moment to revisit the Lower Ninth Ward and catch up with us and our work here by reading this newsletter. You have helped make this possible!
We want to thank each of you for the time and energy you have committed to both
lowernine.org and the residents of the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans. Our work here is far from finished, but it is thrilling and encouraging to see all that is getting accomplished through the dedication and hard work of our generous volunteers and donors.
Since we began our rebuilding work in November 2007, we have moved nine families into their homes, beautified hundreds of yards and public spaces, assisted in the renovation of a new community center, and established a community garden. We are now able to fund the installation of electric and plumbing in 50 Lower Ninth Ward homes through a generous donation from the Midler Family Foundation, and we have just welcomed our 700th volunteer, bringing the number of L9 volunteer hours worked on local rebuild projects to just over 26,000.
In This Issue
One Year On
Families Return Home
One Volunteer's Story
Community Garden/Urban Farming
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
One Year On
October marked the one year anniversary of lowernine.org's official arrival in the Lower Ninth Ward. Last October, lowernine.org was donated and began rebuilding the home on El Dorado Street that acts as our headquarters/volunteer housing facility.
This fall, however, marks the second anniversary of founder and executive director Rick Prose's first trip to New Orleans post-Katrina - a trip that sparked the idea that unskilled volunteers could play an important role in the rebuilding of homes in the Lower Nine.
Starting with nothing but a will to help one family recover what was taken from
them on August 29th, 2005, the organization was granted 501(c)3 tax-exempt status, has raised enough money to remain in operation for the past year, hosted over 700 volunteers from all parts of the country, and returned nine families to their homes to date.
In addition to rebuilding, our volunteers have performed a variety of jobs, including vacant lot maintenance, neighborhood cleanup, community gardening, surveying, organizing a neighborhood farmers' market, and offering volunteer assitance to other nonprofits in the community.
"This neighborhood has welcomed us with open arms," says lowernine.org's Director of Development Laura Paul. "Our ability to bring people together from all over the country and put them to work rebuilding this community is so meaningful. We are all lucky to be a part of the process, and we all feel that, whether we stay for a day or commit for the long haul. The residents feel that, and they respect and welcome it."
Executive Director Rick Prose adds, "This all started very much on a wing and a
prayer. A year ago all we had was a commitment of financial support sufficient to keep the organization afloat for a few months. We had our house donated along with some basic tools and equipment, but we had no paid staff and no idea if we would be able to generate enough interest among volunteers to make this thing work."
"Well, it has worked. It is working. And we're getting folks back in their homes. Kind of amazing, eh?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Families Return Home
This summer saw the return of the Bradley family - the first of the families whose homes have been fully or partially rebuilt through the efforts of lowernine.org's staff and volunteers. What an exciting time!
In July, Roy Bradley, his wife Danielle, and their two daughters Nasjae and Daisjah moved back into their home on El Dorado Street after living in a FEMA trailer for almost two years. "I would like to say that [lowernine.org] has really made my life back whole again with all the help they have given me and my family here in the Lower Ninth Ward. Without the help...I just don't know where we would be right now." Bradley said.
The family are not only enjoying being back home after more than three years, they are giving back by allowing lowernine.org access to storage on their property for tools and equipment. All part of the spirit of cooperation and supprt that makes up a true neighborhood.
In addition to the Bradleys, lowernine.org has assisted eight other families in
returning to their homes in the Lower Ninth Ward. It is our great honor to have
helped them in their recovery, and we look forward to the opportunites that 2009 will afford us in our continued efforts in rebuilding not only homes, but the community in which they stand.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Community Garden/Urban Farming
Based upon the work that lowernine.org began early this year to support the Laurentine Ernst Community Garden (the only community garden still surviving in the neighborhood) we have begun a large-scale community gardening/urban farming initiative, which we hope to buildinto a self-sustaining Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) operation by the summer of 2009.
Long-term volunteers Brennan Dougherty and husband Gustavo Chacon-Rojas arrived
in the spring of 2008 with the idea that they would volunteer for a time, then buy land and start a farm. After discussions with lowernine.org's executive director, a lifelong proponent of alternative agricultural models, they decided that the time was right to conduct an intensive experiment right here in the Lower Ninth Ward.
By obtaining leases from owners of lots in the neighborhood upon which houses no longer stand, lowernine.org are establishing a network of community garden spaces and have identified one parcel large enough to make growing organic vegetables feasible on a larger scale.
In addition to providing residents with readily available healthy food choices (in a neighborhood which still does not have a grocery store) the gardens will educate about organic backyard agriculture and nutrition, and provide a series of green spaces within the urban environment. lowernine.org has joined with other community groups to form the Lower Ninth Ward Urban Farming Coalition and we are testing soils, building raised beds, hauling topsoil, making compost, planning upcoming classes for children and adults and looking forward to the harvest!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Our Sponsors
The United Way of Greater New Orleans
CHF International,
The Denver Foundation
The Annenberg Foundation
The Midler Family Foundation
The Otto and Fran Walter Foundation
The Annenberg Foundation
The Midler Family Foundation
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(show/hide changes)Tue Aug 31 00:00:00 +0000 2021 by tfri:name: lowernine.org [Hurricane IDA pre, food distro, construction assistance] -> lowernine.org [Hurricane IDA response, food distro, rebuilding/construction assistance]
(show/hide changes)Sun Aug 29 00:00:00 +0000 2021 by tfri:notes: Happy Holidays from lowernine.org
December/2009
Thank you for your support this year!
Season's greetings!
At this joyous time of year we want to thank all of you who have made the work that we are doing on behalf of the residents of the Lower Ninth Ward possible. Here are just a few of the things we have been able to accomplish in the past year, thanks to your support:
This year we returned 14 families to their homes, for a total of 28 in the last two years. Our 29th and 30th families will be returning home within weeks!
- We completed plumbing and electrical work on over 40 homes.
- We completed small repairs on an additional 20 homes.
- In Spring of this year, we initiated our urban farming program, which we plan to expand throughout the neighborhood.
- We hosted and trained nearly a thousand volunteers, from all over the country and the world.
- We ran a summer day camp, with All Souls Episcopal Church, for the children of our community.
- We upgraded our website and launched our quarterly e-newsletter to keep folks better informed about what we're doing (if you'd like to receive quarterly updates on our progress, please make sure you send us your email address by emailing us at: info@lowernine.org
- We completed major upgrades to our volunteer housing facility/office space, to make it more energy efficient and more comfortable for our volunteers.
- We have partnered with the United Way of Greater New Orleans in a pilot program of the Louisiana Home Finance Agency, the first of its kind in New Orleans designed to leverage government funding through non-profit rebuilding efforts.
And, last but not least, the efforts of our volunteers and staff represented over 1 million dollars in labor costs, which our low-income clients would not have been able to bear without the help of lowernine.org.
All the work that we have been able to accomplish is due to the contributions of folks just like you, and, while we understand that the economic outlook in the country right now seems a bit bleak, we are asking you to consider just how far we are making every dollar we receive stretch in order to do this important work. In that spirit, we hope that you will make a donation this holiday season to help us continue to rebuild and restore hope in the Lower Ninth Ward.
Thank you, and happy holidays from our residents, volunteers, staff and board of directors of lowernine.org!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
excerpts from Newletter spring/summer 2009 volume 1, issue 1
Links to projects:
Community Revitalization Through Urban Agriculture
http://www.lowernineurbanfarming.org/
http://eggplantbrigade.blogspot.com/
[These sites, like the rest of the Lower Ninth Ward, are under construction! There's still some good information there, and if you need more, you can call our office at (504) 278-1240.]
A spring update
from executive director
Rick Prose
Let me begin by saying thank-you to all our generous donors and our hard-working
volunteers. We would never be able to carry on rebuilding homes in the Lower Ninth Ward without them.
To date, lowernine.org has worked on over 60 properties. 15 families have returned to homes completely rebuilt by lowernine.org and another 10 families have returned home with assistance from us - a total of 75 residents of the Lower Ninth Ward.
We still need your help. We at lowernine.org know these are tough economic times, and we don't need to tell you, our stakeholders and friends that in times of need, the services nonprofit organizations provide their communities are that much more important.
This spring, please consider a donation to lowernine.org. Click here
[http://www.lowernine.org/donate.html] for more information on how to help.
Consider taking a page out of Lauren Goldberg's book. Lauren volunteered with lowernine.org and is getting married this summer. Instead of bridal shower gifts, her guests have been encouraged to make donations to lowernine.org on her behalf - thanks, Lauren, and thanks to your friends and family! Congratulations on your upcoming marriage - lowernine.org wishes you all the very best!
Birthdays, baby showers, and other occasions also offer the opportunity to give
back. Please contact us if you want to arrange something similar.
Again, thanks for all your support. Please share our mission and our information
with family and friends, and please stay in touch.
In service,
Rick Prose
executive director
lowernine.org
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
lowernine.orgnews
fall/winter 2008
volume 1, issue 1
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
rebuilding homes. restoring services. reviving hope. reaching out.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Danny Bourque / The Times-Picayune
Dear lowernine.org friends;
Please take a moment to revisit the Lower Ninth Ward and catch up with us and our work here by reading this newsletter. You have helped make this possible!
We want to thank each of you for the time and energy you have committed to both
lowernine.org and the residents of the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans. Our work here is far from finished, but it is thrilling and encouraging to see all that is getting accomplished through the dedication and hard work of our generous volunteers and donors.
Since we began our rebuilding work in November 2007, we have moved nine families into their homes, beautified hundreds of yards and public spaces, assisted in the renovation of a new community center, and established a community garden. We are now able to fund the installation of electric and plumbing in 50 Lower Ninth Ward homes through a generous donation from the Midler Family Foundation, and we have just welcomed our 700th volunteer, bringing the number of L9 volunteer hours worked on local rebuild projects to just over 26,000.
In This Issue
One Year On
Families Return Home
One Volunteer's Story
Community Garden/Urban Farming
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
One Year On
October marked the one year anniversary of lowernine.org's official arrival in the Lower Ninth Ward. Last October, lowernine.org was donated and began rebuilding the home on El Dorado Street that acts as our headquarters/volunteer housing facility.
This fall, however, marks the second anniversary of founder and executive director Rick Prose's first trip to New Orleans post-Katrina - a trip that sparked the idea that unskilled volunteers could play an important role in the rebuilding of homes in the Lower Nine.
Starting with nothing but a will to help one family recover what was taken from
them on August 29th, 2005, the organization was granted 501(c)3 tax-exempt status, has raised enough money to remain in operation for the past year, hosted over 700 volunteers from all parts of the country, and returned nine families to their homes to date.
In addition to rebuilding, our volunteers have performed a variety of jobs, including vacant lot maintenance, neighborhood cleanup, community gardening, surveying, organizing a neighborhood farmers' market, and offering volunteer assitance to other nonprofits in the community.
"This neighborhood has welcomed us with open arms," says lowernine.org's Director of Development Laura Paul. "Our ability to bring people together from all over the country and put them to work rebuilding this community is so meaningful. We are all lucky to be a part of the process, and we all feel that, whether we stay for a day or commit for the long haul. The residents feel that, and they respect and welcome it."
Executive Director Rick Prose adds, "This all started very much on a wing and a
prayer. A year ago all we had was a commitment of financial support sufficient to keep the organization afloat for a few months. We had our house donated along with some basic tools and equipment, but we had no paid staff and no idea if we would be able to generate enough interest among volunteers to make this thing work."
"Well, it has worked. It is working. And we're getting folks back in their homes. Kind of amazing, eh?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Families Return Home
This summer saw the return of the Bradley family - the first of the families whose homes have been fully or partially rebuilt through the efforts of lowernine.org's staff and volunteers. What an exciting time!
In July, Roy Bradley, his wife Danielle, and their two daughters Nasjae and Daisjah moved back into their home on El Dorado Street after living in a FEMA trailer for almost two years. "I would like to say that [lowernine.org] has really made my life back whole again with all the help they have given me and my family here in the Lower Ninth Ward. Without the help...I just don't know where we would be right now." Bradley said.
The family are not only enjoying being back home after more than three years, they are giving back by allowing lowernine.org access to storage on their property for tools and equipment. All part of the spirit of cooperation and supprt that makes up a true neighborhood.
In addition to the Bradleys, lowernine.org has assisted eight other families in
returning to their homes in the Lower Ninth Ward. It is our great honor to have
helped them in their recovery, and we look forward to the opportunites that 2009 will afford us in our continued efforts in rebuilding not only homes, but the community in which they stand.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Community Garden/Urban Farming
Based upon the work that lowernine.org began early this year to support the Laurentine Ernst Community Garden (the only community garden still surviving in the neighborhood) we have begun a large-scale community gardening/urban farming initiative, which we hope to buildinto a self-sustaining Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) operation by the summer of 2009.
Long-term volunteers Brennan Dougherty and husband Gustavo Chacon-Rojas arrived
in the spring of 2008 with the idea that they would volunteer for a time, then buy land and start a farm. After discussions with lowernine.org's executive director, a lifelong proponent of alternative agricultural models, they decided that the time was right to conduct an intensive experiment right here in the Lower Ninth Ward.
By obtaining leases from owners of lots in the neighborhood upon which houses no longer stand, lowernine.org are establishing a network of community garden spaces and have identified one parcel large enough to make growing organic vegetables feasible on a larger scale.
In addition to providing residents with readily available healthy food choices (in a neighborhood which still does not have a grocery store) the gardens will educate about organic backyard agriculture and nutrition, and provide a series of green spaces within the urban environment. lowernine.org has joined with other community groups to form the Lower Ninth Ward Urban Farming Coalition and we are testing soils, building raised beds, hauling topsoil, making compost, planning upcoming classes for children and adults and looking forward to the harvest!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Our Sponsors
The United Way of Greater New Orleans
CHF International,
The Denver Foundation
The Annenberg Foundation
The Midler Family Foundation
The Otto and Fran Walter Foundation
The Annenberg Foundation
The Midler Family Foundation
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-> via email 8-29-21
Hurricane Ida watch from the Lower Ninth Ward in New Orleans Greetings!
As you no doubt know, a category 4 (potential category 5) hurricane is headed toward Louisiana and will be making landfall just to the East of New Orleans later today.
Please keep us in your thoughts, and reach out with any questions you might have. Some of our team is sheltering in place, some of us have evacuated - we are all more than aware of the catastrophic damage a hurricane can do, and are taking every precaution.
We will keep in touch with you, and will be updating our social media (links below) to let you, our lowernine.org family, know what is happening, what we are doing, and what you might be able to do to help.
If you are in Louisiana, and need help, contact us at info@lowernine.org, by phone at 504.344.4884, or on any of our social media. Stay safe! Thank you for all you do for the Lower Ninth Ward, for food security, and for housing here. We expect the next several weeks to be busy ones, and we will keep you updated.
Laura and the lowernine.org team p.s. if you are interested in volunteering with us, email volunteer @ lowernine.org We are hiring an Americorps Crew Leader and and Americorps Outreach Coordinator for the September 2021 - July 2022 service year! If you, or someone you know, are interested, then please visit https://lowernine.org/get-involved/opportunities/ to learn more and apply. Can't volunteer or join our team? Consider donating today! lowernine.org info @ lowernine.org 504.278.1240 Connect with us lowernine.org | 6018 El Dorado Street, New Orleans, LA 70117
***
Happy Holidays from lowernine.org
December/2009
Thank you for your support this year!
Season's greetings!
At this joyous time of year we want to thank all of you who have made the work that we are doing on behalf of the residents of the Lower Ninth Ward possible. Here are just a few of the things we have been able to accomplish in the past year, thanks to your support:
This year we returned 14 families to their homes, for a total of 28 in the last two years. Our 29th and 30th families will be returning home within weeks!
- We completed plumbing and electrical work on over 40 homes.
- We completed small repairs on an additional 20 homes.
- In Spring of this year, we initiated our urban farming program, which we plan to expand throughout the neighborhood.
- We hosted and trained nearly a thousand volunteers, from all over the country and the world.
- We ran a summer day camp, with All Souls Episcopal Church, for the children of our community.
- We upgraded our website and launched our quarterly e-newsletter to keep folks better informed about what we're doing (if you'd like to receive quarterly updates on our progress, please make sure you send us your email address by emailing us at: info@lowernine.org
- We completed major upgrades to our volunteer housing facility/office space, to make it more energy efficient and more comfortable for our volunteers.
- We have partnered with the United Way of Greater New Orleans in a pilot program of the Louisiana Home Finance Agency, the first of its kind in New Orleans designed to leverage government funding through non-profit rebuilding efforts.
And, last but not least, the efforts of our volunteers and staff represented over 1 million dollars in labor costs, which our low-income clients would not have been able to bear without the help of lowernine.org.
All the work that we have been able to accomplish is due to the contributions of folks just like you, and, while we understand that the economic outlook in the country right now seems a bit bleak, we are asking you to consider just how far we are making every dollar we receive stretch in order to do this important work. In that spirit, we hope that you will make a donation this holiday season to help us continue to rebuild and restore hope in the Lower Ninth Ward.
Thank you, and happy holidays from our residents, volunteers, staff and board of directors of lowernine.org!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
excerpts from Newletter spring/summer 2009 volume 1, issue 1
Links to projects:
Community Revitalization Through Urban Agriculture
http://www.lowernineurbanfarming.org/
http://eggplantbrigade.blogspot.com/
[These sites, like the rest of the Lower Ninth Ward, are under construction! There's still some good information there, and if you need more, you can call our office at (504) 278-1240.]
A spring update
from executive director
Rick Prose
Let me begin by saying thank-you to all our generous donors and our hard-working
volunteers. We would never be able to carry on rebuilding homes in the Lower Ninth Ward without them.
To date, lowernine.org has worked on over 60 properties. 15 families have returned to homes completely rebuilt by lowernine.org and another 10 families have returned home with assistance from us - a total of 75 residents of the Lower Ninth Ward.
We still need your help. We at lowernine.org know these are tough economic times, and we don't need to tell you, our stakeholders and friends that in times of need, the services nonprofit organizations provide their communities are that much more important.
This spring, please consider a donation to lowernine.org. Click here
[http://www.lowernine.org/donate.html] for more information on how to help.
Consider taking a page out of Lauren Goldberg's book. Lauren volunteered with lowernine.org and is getting married this summer. Instead of bridal shower gifts, her guests have been encouraged to make donations to lowernine.org on her behalf - thanks, Lauren, and thanks to your friends and family! Congratulations on your upcoming marriage - lowernine.org wishes you all the very best!
Birthdays, baby showers, and other occasions also offer the opportunity to give
back. Please contact us if you want to arrange something similar.
Again, thanks for all your support. Please share our mission and our information
with family and friends, and please stay in touch.
In service,
Rick Prose
executive director
lowernine.org
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
lowernine.orgnews
fall/winter 2008
volume 1, issue 1
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
rebuilding homes. restoring services. reviving hope. reaching out.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Danny Bourque / The Times-Picayune
Dear lowernine.org friends;
Please take a moment to revisit the Lower Ninth Ward and catch up with us and our work here by reading this newsletter. You have helped make this possible!
We want to thank each of you for the time and energy you have committed to both
lowernine.org and the residents of the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans. Our work here is far from finished, but it is thrilling and encouraging to see all that is getting accomplished through the dedication and hard work of our generous volunteers and donors.
Since we began our rebuilding work in November 2007, we have moved nine families into their homes, beautified hundreds of yards and public spaces, assisted in the renovation of a new community center, and established a community garden. We are now able to fund the installation of electric and plumbing in 50 Lower Ninth Ward homes through a generous donation from the Midler Family Foundation, and we have just welcomed our 700th volunteer, bringing the number of L9 volunteer hours worked on local rebuild projects to just over 26,000.
In This Issue
One Year On
Families Return Home
One Volunteer's Story
Community Garden/Urban Farming
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
One Year On
October marked the one year anniversary of lowernine.org's official arrival in the Lower Ninth Ward. Last October, lowernine.org was donated and began rebuilding the home on El Dorado Street that acts as our headquarters/volunteer housing facility.
This fall, however, marks the second anniversary of founder and executive director Rick Prose's first trip to New Orleans post-Katrina - a trip that sparked the idea that unskilled volunteers could play an important role in the rebuilding of homes in the Lower Nine.
Starting with nothing but a will to help one family recover what was taken from
them on August 29th, 2005, the organization was granted 501(c)3 tax-exempt status, has raised enough money to remain in operation for the past year, hosted over 700 volunteers from all parts of the country, and returned nine families to their homes to date.
In addition to rebuilding, our volunteers have performed a variety of jobs, including vacant lot maintenance, neighborhood cleanup, community gardening, surveying, organizing a neighborhood farmers' market, and offering volunteer assitance to other nonprofits in the community.
"This neighborhood has welcomed us with open arms," says lowernine.org's Director of Development Laura Paul. "Our ability to bring people together from all over the country and put them to work rebuilding this community is so meaningful. We are all lucky to be a part of the process, and we all feel that, whether we stay for a day or commit for the long haul. The residents feel that, and they respect and welcome it."
Executive Director Rick Prose adds, "This all started very much on a wing and a
prayer. A year ago all we had was a commitment of financial support sufficient to keep the organization afloat for a few months. We had our house donated along with some basic tools and equipment, but we had no paid staff and no idea if we would be able to generate enough interest among volunteers to make this thing work."
"Well, it has worked. It is working. And we're getting folks back in their homes. Kind of amazing, eh?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Families Return Home
This summer saw the return of the Bradley family - the first of the families whose homes have been fully or partially rebuilt through the efforts of lowernine.org's staff and volunteers. What an exciting time!
In July, Roy Bradley, his wife Danielle, and their two daughters Nasjae and Daisjah moved back into their home on El Dorado Street after living in a FEMA trailer for almost two years. "I would like to say that [lowernine.org] has really made my life back whole again with all the help they have given me and my family here in the Lower Ninth Ward. Without the help...I just don't know where we would be right now." Bradley said.
The family are not only enjoying being back home after more than three years, they are giving back by allowing lowernine.org access to storage on their property for tools and equipment. All part of the spirit of cooperation and supprt that makes up a true neighborhood.
In addition to the Bradleys, lowernine.org has assisted eight other families in
returning to their homes in the Lower Ninth Ward. It is our great honor to have
helped them in their recovery, and we look forward to the opportunites that 2009 will afford us in our continued efforts in rebuilding not only homes, but the community in which they stand.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Community Garden/Urban Farming
Based upon the work that lowernine.org began early this year to support the Laurentine Ernst Community Garden (the only community garden still surviving in the neighborhood) we have begun a large-scale community gardening/urban farming initiative, which we hope to buildinto a self-sustaining Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) operation by the summer of 2009.
Long-term volunteers Brennan Dougherty and husband Gustavo Chacon-Rojas arrived
in the spring of 2008 with the idea that they would volunteer for a time, then buy land and start a farm. After discussions with lowernine.org's executive director, a lifelong proponent of alternative agricultural models, they decided that the time was right to conduct an intensive experiment right here in the Lower Ninth Ward.
By obtaining leases from owners of lots in the neighborhood upon which houses no longer stand, lowernine.org are establishing a network of community garden spaces and have identified one parcel large enough to make growing organic vegetables feasible on a larger scale.
In addition to providing residents with readily available healthy food choices (in a neighborhood which still does not have a grocery store) the gardens will educate about organic backyard agriculture and nutrition, and provide a series of green spaces within the urban environment. lowernine.org has joined with other community groups to form the Lower Ninth Ward Urban Farming Coalition and we are testing soils, building raised beds, hauling topsoil, making compost, planning upcoming classes for children and adults and looking forward to the harvest!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Our Sponsors
The United Way of Greater New Orleans
CHF International,
The Denver Foundation
The Annenberg Foundation
The Midler Family Foundation
The Otto and Fran Walter Foundation
The Annenberg Foundation
The Midler Family Foundation
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(show/hide changes)Sun Aug 29 00:00:00 +0000 2021 by tfri:name: lowernine.org -> lowernine.org [Hurricane IDA pre, food distro, construction assistance]
(show/hide changes)Mon Dec 21 05:20:22 +0000 2009 by tfri:notes: Happy Holidays from lowernine.org
December/2009
Thank you for your support this year!
Season's greetings!
At this joyous time of year we want to thank all of you who have made the work that we are doing on behalf of the residents of the Lower Ninth Ward possible. Here are just a few of the things we have been able to accomplish in the past year, thanks to your support:
This year we returned 14 families to their homes, for a total of 28 in the last two years. Our 29th and 30th families will be returning home within weeks!
- We completed plumbing and electrical work on over 40 homes.
- We completed small repairs on an additional 20 homes.
- In Spring of this year, we initiated our urban farming program, which we plan to expand throughout the neighborhood.
- We hosted and trained nearly a thousand volunteers, from all over the country and the world.
- We ran a summer day camp, with All Souls Episcopal Church, for the children of our community.
- We upgraded our website and launched our quarterly e-newsletter to keep folks better informed about what we're doing (if you'd like to receive quarterly updates on our progress, please make sure you send us your email address from our website
- We completed major upgrades to our volunteer housing facility/office space, to make it more energy efficient and more comfortable for our volunteers.
- We have partnered with the United Way of Greater New Orleans in a pilot program of the Louisiana Home Finance Agency, the first of its kind in New Orleans designed to leverage government funding through non-profit rebuilding efforts.
And, last but not least, the efforts of our volunteers and staff represented over 1 million dollars in labor costs, which our low-income clients would not have been able to bear without the help of lowernine.org.
All the work that we have been able to accomplish is due to the contributions of folks just like you, and, while we understand that the economic outlook in the country right now seems a bit bleak, we are asking you to consider just how far we are making every dollar we receive stretch in order to do this important work. In that spirit, we hope that you will make a donation this holiday season to help us continue to rebuild and restore hope in the Lower Ninth Ward.
Thank you, and happy holidays from our residents, volunteers, staff and board of directors of lowernine.org!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
excerpts from Newletter spring/summer 2009 volume 1, issue 1
Links to projects:
Community Revitalization Through Urban Agriculture
http://www.lowernineurbanfarming.org/
http://eggplantbrigade.blogspot.com/
[These sites, like the rest of the Lower Ninth Ward, are under construction! There's still some good information there, and if you need more, you can call our office at (504) 278-1240.]
A spring update
from executive director
Rick Prose
Let me begin by saying thank-you to all our generous donors and our hard-working
volunteers. We would never be able to carry on rebuilding homes in the Lower Ninth Ward without them.
To date, lowernine.org has worked on over 60 properties. 15 families have returned to homes completely rebuilt by lowernine.org and another 10 families have returned home with assistance from us - a total of 75 residents of the Lower Ninth Ward.
We still need your help. We at lowernine.org know these are tough economic times, and we don't need to tell you, our stakeholders and friends that in times of need, the services nonprofit organizations provide their communities are that much more important.
This spring, please consider a donation to lowernine.org. Click here
[http://www.lowernine.org/donate.html] for more information on how to help.
Consider taking a page out of Lauren Goldberg's book. Lauren volunteered with lowernine.org and is getting married this summer. Instead of bridal shower gifts, her guests have been encouraged to make donations to lowernine.org on her behalf - thanks, Lauren, and thanks to your friends and family! Congratulations on your upcoming marriage - lowernine.org wishes you all the very best!
Birthdays, baby showers, and other occasions also offer the opportunity to give
back. Please contact us if you want to arrange something similar.
Again, thanks for all your support. Please share our mission and our information
with family and friends, and please stay in touch.
In service,
Rick Prose
executive director
lowernine.org
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
lowernine.orgnews
fall/winter 2008
volume 1, issue 1
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
rebuilding homes. restoring services. reviving hope. reaching out.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Danny Bourque / The Times-Picayune
Dear lowernine.org friends;
Please take a moment to revisit the Lower Ninth Ward and catch up with us and our work here by reading this newsletter. You have helped make this possible!
We want to thank each of you for the time and energy you have committed to both
lowernine.org and the residents of the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans. Our work here is far from finished, but it is thrilling and encouraging to see all that is getting accomplished through the dedication and hard work of our generous volunteers and donors.
Since we began our rebuilding work in November 2007, we have moved nine families into their homes, beautified hundreds of yards and public spaces, assisted in the renovation of a new community center, and established a community garden. We are now able to fund the installation of electric and plumbing in 50 Lower Ninth Ward homes through a generous donation from the Midler Family Foundation, and we have just welcomed our 700th volunteer, bringing the number of L9 volunteer hours worked on local rebuild projects to just over 26,000.
In This Issue
One Year On
Families Return Home
One Volunteer's Story
Community Garden/Urban Farming
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
One Year On
October marked the one year anniversary of lowernine.org's official arrival in the Lower Ninth Ward. Last October, lowernine.org was donated and began rebuilding the home on El Dorado Street that acts as our headquarters/volunteer housing facility.
This fall, however, marks the second anniversary of founder and executive director Rick Prose's first trip to New Orleans post-Katrina - a trip that sparked the idea that unskilled volunteers could play an important role in the rebuilding of homes in the Lower Nine.
Starting with nothing but a will to help one family recover what was taken from
them on August 29th, 2005, the organization was granted 501(c)3 tax-exempt status, has raised enough money to remain in operation for the past year, hosted over 700 volunteers from all parts of the country, and returned nine families to their homes to date.
In addition to rebuilding, our volunteers have performed a variety of jobs, including vacant lot maintenance, neighborhood cleanup, community gardening, surveying, organizing a neighborhood farmers' market, and offering volunteer assitance to other nonprofits in the community.
"This neighborhood has welcomed us with open arms," says lowernine.org's Director of Development Laura Paul. "Our ability to bring people together from all over the country and put them to work rebuilding this community is so meaningful. We are all lucky to be a part of the process, and we all feel that, whether we stay for a day or commit for the long haul. The residents feel that, and they respect and welcome it."
Executive Director Rick Prose adds, "This all started very much on a wing and a
prayer. A year ago all we had was a commitment of financial support sufficient to keep the organization afloat for a few months. We had our house donated along with some basic tools and equipment, but we had no paid staff and no idea if we would be able to generate enough interest among volunteers to make this thing work."
"Well, it has worked. It is working. And we're getting folks back in their homes. Kind of amazing, eh?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Families Return Home
This summer saw the return of the Bradley family - the first of the families whose homes have been fully or partially rebuilt through the efforts of lowernine.org's staff and volunteers. What an exciting time!
In July, Roy Bradley, his wife Danielle, and their two daughters Nasjae and Daisjah moved back into their home on El Dorado Street after living in a FEMA trailer for almost two years. "I would like to say that [lowernine.org] has really made my life back whole again with all the help they have given me and my family here in the Lower Ninth Ward. Without the help...I just don't know where we would be right now." Bradley said.
The family are not only enjoying being back home after more than three years, they are giving back by allowing lowernine.org access to storage on their property for tools and equipment. All part of the spirit of cooperation and supprt that makes up a true neighborhood.
In addition to the Bradleys, lowernine.org has assisted eight other families in
returning to their homes in the Lower Ninth Ward. It is our great honor to have
helped them in their recovery, and we look forward to the opportunites that 2009 will afford us in our continued efforts in rebuilding not only homes, but the community in which they stand.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Community Garden/Urban Farming
Based upon the work that lowernine.org began early this year to support the Laurentine Ernst Community Garden (the only community garden still surviving in the neighborhood) we have begun a large-scale community gardening/urban farming initiative, which we hope to buildinto a self-sustaining Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) operation by the summer of 2009.
Long-term volunteers Brennan Dougherty and husband Gustavo Chacon-Rojas arrived
in the spring of 2008 with the idea that they would volunteer for a time, then buy land and start a farm. After discussions with lowernine.org's executive director, a lifelong proponent of alternative agricultural models, they decided that the time was right to conduct an intensive experiment right here in the Lower Ninth Ward.
By obtaining leases from owners of lots in the neighborhood upon which houses no longer stand, lowernine.org are establishing a network of community garden spaces and have identified one parcel large enough to make growing organic vegetables feasible on a larger scale.
In addition to providing residents with readily available healthy food choices (in a neighborhood which still does not have a grocery store) the gardens will educate about organic backyard agriculture and nutrition, and provide a series of green spaces within the urban environment. lowernine.org has joined with other community groups to form the Lower Ninth Ward Urban Farming Coalition and we are testing soils, building raised beds, hauling topsoil, making compost, planning upcoming classes for children and adults and looking forward to the harvest!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Our Sponsors
The United Way of Greater New Orleans
CHF International,
The Denver Foundation
The Annenberg Foundation
The Midler Family Foundation
The Otto and Fran Walter Foundation
The Annenberg Foundation
The Midler Family Foundation
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-> Happy Holidays from lowernine.org
December/2009
Thank you for your support this year!
Season's greetings!
At this joyous time of year we want to thank all of you who have made the work that we are doing on behalf of the residents of the Lower Ninth Ward possible. Here are just a few of the things we have been able to accomplish in the past year, thanks to your support:
This year we returned 14 families to their homes, for a total of 28 in the last two years. Our 29th and 30th families will be returning home within weeks!
- We completed plumbing and electrical work on over 40 homes.
- We completed small repairs on an additional 20 homes.
- In Spring of this year, we initiated our urban farming program, which we plan to expand throughout the neighborhood.
- We hosted and trained nearly a thousand volunteers, from all over the country and the world.
- We ran a summer day camp, with All Souls Episcopal Church, for the children of our community.
- We upgraded our website and launched our quarterly e-newsletter to keep folks better informed about what we're doing (if you'd like to receive quarterly updates on our progress, please make sure you send us your email address by emailing us at: info@lowernine.org
- We completed major upgrades to our volunteer housing facility/office space, to make it more energy efficient and more comfortable for our volunteers.
- We have partnered with the United Way of Greater New Orleans in a pilot program of the Louisiana Home Finance Agency, the first of its kind in New Orleans designed to leverage government funding through non-profit rebuilding efforts.
And, last but not least, the efforts of our volunteers and staff represented over 1 million dollars in labor costs, which our low-income clients would not have been able to bear without the help of lowernine.org.
All the work that we have been able to accomplish is due to the contributions of folks just like you, and, while we understand that the economic outlook in the country right now seems a bit bleak, we are asking you to consider just how far we are making every dollar we receive stretch in order to do this important work. In that spirit, we hope that you will make a donation this holiday season to help us continue to rebuild and restore hope in the Lower Ninth Ward.
Thank you, and happy holidays from our residents, volunteers, staff and board of directors of lowernine.org!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
excerpts from Newletter spring/summer 2009 volume 1, issue 1
Links to projects:
Community Revitalization Through Urban Agriculture
http://www.lowernineurbanfarming.org/
http://eggplantbrigade.blogspot.com/
[These sites, like the rest of the Lower Ninth Ward, are under construction! There's still some good information there, and if you need more, you can call our office at (504) 278-1240.]
A spring update
from executive director
Rick Prose
Let me begin by saying thank-you to all our generous donors and our hard-working
volunteers. We would never be able to carry on rebuilding homes in the Lower Ninth Ward without them.
To date, lowernine.org has worked on over 60 properties. 15 families have returned to homes completely rebuilt by lowernine.org and another 10 families have returned home with assistance from us - a total of 75 residents of the Lower Ninth Ward.
We still need your help. We at lowernine.org know these are tough economic times, and we don't need to tell you, our stakeholders and friends that in times of need, the services nonprofit organizations provide their communities are that much more important.
This spring, please consider a donation to lowernine.org. Click here
[http://www.lowernine.org/donate.html] for more information on how to help.
Consider taking a page out of Lauren Goldberg's book. Lauren volunteered with lowernine.org and is getting married this summer. Instead of bridal shower gifts, her guests have been encouraged to make donations to lowernine.org on her behalf - thanks, Lauren, and thanks to your friends and family! Congratulations on your upcoming marriage - lowernine.org wishes you all the very best!
Birthdays, baby showers, and other occasions also offer the opportunity to give
back. Please contact us if you want to arrange something similar.
Again, thanks for all your support. Please share our mission and our information
with family and friends, and please stay in touch.
In service,
Rick Prose
executive director
lowernine.org
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
lowernine.orgnews
fall/winter 2008
volume 1, issue 1
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
rebuilding homes. restoring services. reviving hope. reaching out.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Danny Bourque / The Times-Picayune
Dear lowernine.org friends;
Please take a moment to revisit the Lower Ninth Ward and catch up with us and our work here by reading this newsletter. You have helped make this possible!
We want to thank each of you for the time and energy you have committed to both
lowernine.org and the residents of the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans. Our work here is far from finished, but it is thrilling and encouraging to see all that is getting accomplished through the dedication and hard work of our generous volunteers and donors.
Since we began our rebuilding work in November 2007, we have moved nine families into their homes, beautified hundreds of yards and public spaces, assisted in the renovation of a new community center, and established a community garden. We are now able to fund the installation of electric and plumbing in 50 Lower Ninth Ward homes through a generous donation from the Midler Family Foundation, and we have just welcomed our 700th volunteer, bringing the number of L9 volunteer hours worked on local rebuild projects to just over 26,000.
In This Issue
One Year On
Families Return Home
One Volunteer's Story
Community Garden/Urban Farming
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
One Year On
October marked the one year anniversary of lowernine.org's official arrival in the Lower Ninth Ward. Last October, lowernine.org was donated and began rebuilding the home on El Dorado Street that acts as our headquarters/volunteer housing facility.
This fall, however, marks the second anniversary of founder and executive director Rick Prose's first trip to New Orleans post-Katrina - a trip that sparked the idea that unskilled volunteers could play an important role in the rebuilding of homes in the Lower Nine.
Starting with nothing but a will to help one family recover what was taken from
them on August 29th, 2005, the organization was granted 501(c)3 tax-exempt status, has raised enough money to remain in operation for the past year, hosted over 700 volunteers from all parts of the country, and returned nine families to their homes to date.
In addition to rebuilding, our volunteers have performed a variety of jobs, including vacant lot maintenance, neighborhood cleanup, community gardening, surveying, organizing a neighborhood farmers' market, and offering volunteer assitance to other nonprofits in the community.
"This neighborhood has welcomed us with open arms," says lowernine.org's Director of Development Laura Paul. "Our ability to bring people together from all over the country and put them to work rebuilding this community is so meaningful. We are all lucky to be a part of the process, and we all feel that, whether we stay for a day or commit for the long haul. The residents feel that, and they respect and welcome it."
Executive Director Rick Prose adds, "This all started very much on a wing and a
prayer. A year ago all we had was a commitment of financial support sufficient to keep the organization afloat for a few months. We had our house donated along with some basic tools and equipment, but we had no paid staff and no idea if we would be able to generate enough interest among volunteers to make this thing work."
"Well, it has worked. It is working. And we're getting folks back in their homes. Kind of amazing, eh?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Families Return Home
This summer saw the return of the Bradley family - the first of the families whose homes have been fully or partially rebuilt through the efforts of lowernine.org's staff and volunteers. What an exciting time!
In July, Roy Bradley, his wife Danielle, and their two daughters Nasjae and Daisjah moved back into their home on El Dorado Street after living in a FEMA trailer for almost two years. "I would like to say that [lowernine.org] has really made my life back whole again with all the help they have given me and my family here in the Lower Ninth Ward. Without the help...I just don't know where we would be right now." Bradley said.
The family are not only enjoying being back home after more than three years, they are giving back by allowing lowernine.org access to storage on their property for tools and equipment. All part of the spirit of cooperation and supprt that makes up a true neighborhood.
In addition to the Bradleys, lowernine.org has assisted eight other families in
returning to their homes in the Lower Ninth Ward. It is our great honor to have
helped them in their recovery, and we look forward to the opportunites that 2009 will afford us in our continued efforts in rebuilding not only homes, but the community in which they stand.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Community Garden/Urban Farming
Based upon the work that lowernine.org began early this year to support the Laurentine Ernst Community Garden (the only community garden still surviving in the neighborhood) we have begun a large-scale community gardening/urban farming initiative, which we hope to buildinto a self-sustaining Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) operation by the summer of 2009.
Long-term volunteers Brennan Dougherty and husband Gustavo Chacon-Rojas arrived
in the spring of 2008 with the idea that they would volunteer for a time, then buy land and start a farm. After discussions with lowernine.org's executive director, a lifelong proponent of alternative agricultural models, they decided that the time was right to conduct an intensive experiment right here in the Lower Ninth Ward.
By obtaining leases from owners of lots in the neighborhood upon which houses no longer stand, lowernine.org are establishing a network of community garden spaces and have identified one parcel large enough to make growing organic vegetables feasible on a larger scale.
In addition to providing residents with readily available healthy food choices (in a neighborhood which still does not have a grocery store) the gardens will educate about organic backyard agriculture and nutrition, and provide a series of green spaces within the urban environment. lowernine.org has joined with other community groups to form the Lower Ninth Ward Urban Farming Coalition and we are testing soils, building raised beds, hauling topsoil, making compost, planning upcoming classes for children and adults and looking forward to the harvest!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Our Sponsors
The United Way of Greater New Orleans
CHF International,
The Denver Foundation
The Annenberg Foundation
The Midler Family Foundation
The Otto and Fran Walter Foundation
The Annenberg Foundation
The Midler Family Foundation
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(show/hide changes)Mon Dec 21 05:19:36 +0000 2009 by tfri:notes: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
excerpts from Newletter spring/summer 2009 volume 1, issue 1
Links to projects:
Community Revitalization Through Urban Agriculture
http://www.lowernineurbanfarming.org/
http://eggplantbrigade.blogspot.com/
[These sites, like the rest of the Lower Ninth Ward, are under construction! There's still some good information there, and if you need more, you can call our office at (504) 278-1240.]
A spring update
from executive director
Rick Prose
Let me begin by saying thank-you to all our generous donors and our hard-working
volunteers. We would never be able to carry on rebuilding homes in the Lower Ninth Ward without them.
To date, lowernine.org has worked on over 60 properties. 15 families have returned to homes completely rebuilt by lowernine.org and another 10 families have returned home with assistance from us - a total of 75 residents of the Lower Ninth Ward.
We still need your help. We at lowernine.org know these are tough economic times, and we don't need to tell you, our stakeholders and friends that in times of need, the services nonprofit organizations provide their communities are that much more important.
This spring, please consider a donation to lowernine.org. Click here
[http://www.lowernine.org/donate.html] for more information on how to help.
Consider taking a page out of Lauren Goldberg's book. Lauren volunteered with lowernine.org and is getting married this summer. Instead of bridal shower gifts, her guests have been encouraged to make donations to lowernine.org on her behalf - thanks, Lauren, and thanks to your friends and family! Congratulations on your upcoming marriage - lowernine.org wishes you all the very best!
Birthdays, baby showers, and other occasions also offer the opportunity to give
back. Please contact us if you want to arrange something similar.
Again, thanks for all your support. Please share our mission and our information
with family and friends, and please stay in touch.
In service,
Rick Prose
executive director
lowernine.org
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
lowernine.orgnews
fall/winter 2008
volume 1, issue 1
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
rebuilding homes. restoring services. reviving hope. reaching out.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Danny Bourque / The Times-Picayune
Dear lowernine.org friends;
Please take a moment to revisit the Lower Ninth Ward and catch up with us and our work here by reading this newsletter. You have helped make this possible!
We want to thank each of you for the time and energy you have committed to both
lowernine.org and the residents of the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans. Our work here is far from finished, but it is thrilling and encouraging to see all that is getting accomplished through the dedication and hard work of our generous volunteers and donors.
Since we began our rebuilding work in November 2007, we have moved nine families into their homes, beautified hundreds of yards and public spaces, assisted in the renovation of a new community center, and established a community garden. We are now able to fund the installation of electric and plumbing in 50 Lower Ninth Ward homes through a generous donation from the Midler Family Foundation, and we have just welcomed our 700th volunteer, bringing the number of L9 volunteer hours worked on local rebuild projects to just over 26,000.
In This Issue
One Year On
Families Return Home
One Volunteer's Story
Community Garden/Urban Farming
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
One Year On
October marked the one year anniversary of lowernine.org's official arrival in the Lower Ninth Ward. Last October, lowernine.org was donated and began rebuilding the home on El Dorado Street that acts as our headquarters/volunteer housing facility.
This fall, however, marks the second anniversary of founder and executive director Rick Prose's first trip to New Orleans post-Katrina - a trip that sparked the idea that unskilled volunteers could play an important role in the rebuilding of homes in the Lower Nine.
Starting with nothing but a will to help one family recover what was taken from
them on August 29th, 2005, the organization was granted 501(c)3 tax-exempt status, has raised enough money to remain in operation for the past year, hosted over 700 volunteers from all parts of the country, and returned nine families to their homes to date.
In addition to rebuilding, our volunteers have performed a variety of jobs, including vacant lot maintenance, neighborhood cleanup, community gardening, surveying, organizing a neighborhood farmers' market, and offering volunteer assitance to other nonprofits in the community.
"This neighborhood has welcomed us with open arms," says lowernine.org's Director of Development Laura Paul. "Our ability to bring people together from all over the country and put them to work rebuilding this community is so meaningful. We are all lucky to be a part of the process, and we all feel that, whether we stay for a day or commit for the long haul. The residents feel that, and they respect and welcome it."
Executive Director Rick Prose adds, "This all started very much on a wing and a
prayer. A year ago all we had was a commitment of financial support sufficient to keep the organization afloat for a few months. We had our house donated along with some basic tools and equipment, but we had no paid staff and no idea if we would be able to generate enough interest among volunteers to make this thing work."
"Well, it has worked. It is working. And we're getting folks back in their homes. Kind of amazing, eh?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Families Return Home
This summer saw the return of the Bradley family - the first of the families whose homes have been fully or partially rebuilt through the efforts of lowernine.org's staff and volunteers. What an exciting time!
In July, Roy Bradley, his wife Danielle, and their two daughters Nasjae and Daisjah moved back into their home on El Dorado Street after living in a FEMA trailer for almost two years. "I would like to say that [lowernine.org] has really made my life back whole again with all the help they have given me and my family here in the Lower Ninth Ward. Without the help...I just don't know where we would be right now." Bradley said.
The family are not only enjoying being back home after more than three years, they are giving back by allowing lowernine.org access to storage on their property for tools and equipment. All part of the spirit of cooperation and supprt that makes up a true neighborhood.
In addition to the Bradleys, lowernine.org has assisted eight other families in
returning to their homes in the Lower Ninth Ward. It is our great honor to have
helped them in their recovery, and we look forward to the opportunites that 2009 will afford us in our continued efforts in rebuilding not only homes, but the community in which they stand.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Community Garden/Urban Farming
Based upon the work that lowernine.org began early this year to support the Laurentine Ernst Community Garden (the only community garden still surviving in the neighborhood) we have begun a large-scale community gardening/urban farming initiative, which we hope to buildinto a self-sustaining Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) operation by the summer of 2009.
Long-term volunteers Brennan Dougherty and husband Gustavo Chacon-Rojas arrived
in the spring of 2008 with the idea that they would volunteer for a time, then buy land and start a farm. After discussions with lowernine.org's executive director, a lifelong proponent of alternative agricultural models, they decided that the time was right to conduct an intensive experiment right here in the Lower Ninth Ward.
By obtaining leases from owners of lots in the neighborhood upon which houses no longer stand, lowernine.org are establishing a network of community garden spaces and have identified one parcel large enough to make growing organic vegetables feasible on a larger scale.
In addition to providing residents with readily available healthy food choices (in a neighborhood which still does not have a grocery store) the gardens will educate about organic backyard agriculture and nutrition, and provide a series of green spaces within the urban environment. lowernine.org has joined with other community groups to form the Lower Ninth Ward Urban Farming Coalition and we are testing soils, building raised beds, hauling topsoil, making compost, planning upcoming classes for children and adults and looking forward to the harvest!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Our Sponsors
The United Way of Greater New Orleans
CHF International,
The Denver Foundation
The Annenberg Foundation
The Midler Family Foundation
The Otto and Fran Walter Foundation
The Annenberg Foundation
The Midler Family Foundation
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-> Happy Holidays from lowernine.org
December/2009
Thank you for your support this year!
Season's greetings!
At this joyous time of year we want to thank all of you who have made the work that we are doing on behalf of the residents of the Lower Ninth Ward possible. Here are just a few of the things we have been able to accomplish in the past year, thanks to your support:
This year we returned 14 families to their homes, for a total of 28 in the last two years. Our 29th and 30th families will be returning home within weeks!
- We completed plumbing and electrical work on over 40 homes.
- We completed small repairs on an additional 20 homes.
- In Spring of this year, we initiated our urban farming program, which we plan to expand throughout the neighborhood.
- We hosted and trained nearly a thousand volunteers, from all over the country and the world.
- We ran a summer day camp, with All Souls Episcopal Church, for the children of our community.
- We upgraded our website and launched our quarterly e-newsletter to keep folks better informed about what we're doing (if you'd like to receive quarterly updates on our progress, please make sure you send us your email address from our website
- We completed major upgrades to our volunteer housing facility/office space, to make it more energy efficient and more comfortable for our volunteers.
- We have partnered with the United Way of Greater New Orleans in a pilot program of the Louisiana Home Finance Agency, the first of its kind in New Orleans designed to leverage government funding through non-profit rebuilding efforts.
And, last but not least, the efforts of our volunteers and staff represented over 1 million dollars in labor costs, which our low-income clients would not have been able to bear without the help of lowernine.org.
All the work that we have been able to accomplish is due to the contributions of folks just like you, and, while we understand that the economic outlook in the country right now seems a bit bleak, we are asking you to consider just how far we are making every dollar we receive stretch in order to do this important work. In that spirit, we hope that you will make a donation this holiday season to help us continue to rebuild and restore hope in the Lower Ninth Ward.
Thank you, and happy holidays from our residents, volunteers, staff and board of directors of lowernine.org!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
excerpts from Newletter spring/summer 2009 volume 1, issue 1
Links to projects:
Community Revitalization Through Urban Agriculture
http://www.lowernineurbanfarming.org/
http://eggplantbrigade.blogspot.com/
[These sites, like the rest of the Lower Ninth Ward, are under construction! There's still some good information there, and if you need more, you can call our office at (504) 278-1240.]
A spring update
from executive director
Rick Prose
Let me begin by saying thank-you to all our generous donors and our hard-working
volunteers. We would never be able to carry on rebuilding homes in the Lower Ninth Ward without them.
To date, lowernine.org has worked on over 60 properties. 15 families have returned to homes completely rebuilt by lowernine.org and another 10 families have returned home with assistance from us - a total of 75 residents of the Lower Ninth Ward.
We still need your help. We at lowernine.org know these are tough economic times, and we don't need to tell you, our stakeholders and friends that in times of need, the services nonprofit organizations provide their communities are that much more important.
This spring, please consider a donation to lowernine.org. Click here
[http://www.lowernine.org/donate.html] for more information on how to help.
Consider taking a page out of Lauren Goldberg's book. Lauren volunteered with lowernine.org and is getting married this summer. Instead of bridal shower gifts, her guests have been encouraged to make donations to lowernine.org on her behalf - thanks, Lauren, and thanks to your friends and family! Congratulations on your upcoming marriage - lowernine.org wishes you all the very best!
Birthdays, baby showers, and other occasions also offer the opportunity to give
back. Please contact us if you want to arrange something similar.
Again, thanks for all your support. Please share our mission and our information
with family and friends, and please stay in touch.
In service,
Rick Prose
executive director
lowernine.org
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
lowernine.orgnews
fall/winter 2008
volume 1, issue 1
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
rebuilding homes. restoring services. reviving hope. reaching out.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Danny Bourque / The Times-Picayune
Dear lowernine.org friends;
Please take a moment to revisit the Lower Ninth Ward and catch up with us and our work here by reading this newsletter. You have helped make this possible!
We want to thank each of you for the time and energy you have committed to both
lowernine.org and the residents of the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans. Our work here is far from finished, but it is thrilling and encouraging to see all that is getting accomplished through the dedication and hard work of our generous volunteers and donors.
Since we began our rebuilding work in November 2007, we have moved nine families into their homes, beautified hundreds of yards and public spaces, assisted in the renovation of a new community center, and established a community garden. We are now able to fund the installation of electric and plumbing in 50 Lower Ninth Ward homes through a generous donation from the Midler Family Foundation, and we have just welcomed our 700th volunteer, bringing the number of L9 volunteer hours worked on local rebuild projects to just over 26,000.
In This Issue
One Year On
Families Return Home
One Volunteer's Story
Community Garden/Urban Farming
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
One Year On
October marked the one year anniversary of lowernine.org's official arrival in the Lower Ninth Ward. Last October, lowernine.org was donated and began rebuilding the home on El Dorado Street that acts as our headquarters/volunteer housing facility.
This fall, however, marks the second anniversary of founder and executive director Rick Prose's first trip to New Orleans post-Katrina - a trip that sparked the idea that unskilled volunteers could play an important role in the rebuilding of homes in the Lower Nine.
Starting with nothing but a will to help one family recover what was taken from
them on August 29th, 2005, the organization was granted 501(c)3 tax-exempt status, has raised enough money to remain in operation for the past year, hosted over 700 volunteers from all parts of the country, and returned nine families to their homes to date.
In addition to rebuilding, our volunteers have performed a variety of jobs, including vacant lot maintenance, neighborhood cleanup, community gardening, surveying, organizing a neighborhood farmers' market, and offering volunteer assitance to other nonprofits in the community.
"This neighborhood has welcomed us with open arms," says lowernine.org's Director of Development Laura Paul. "Our ability to bring people together from all over the country and put them to work rebuilding this community is so meaningful. We are all lucky to be a part of the process, and we all feel that, whether we stay for a day or commit for the long haul. The residents feel that, and they respect and welcome it."
Executive Director Rick Prose adds, "This all started very much on a wing and a
prayer. A year ago all we had was a commitment of financial support sufficient to keep the organization afloat for a few months. We had our house donated along with some basic tools and equipment, but we had no paid staff and no idea if we would be able to generate enough interest among volunteers to make this thing work."
"Well, it has worked. It is working. And we're getting folks back in their homes. Kind of amazing, eh?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Families Return Home
This summer saw the return of the Bradley family - the first of the families whose homes have been fully or partially rebuilt through the efforts of lowernine.org's staff and volunteers. What an exciting time!
In July, Roy Bradley, his wife Danielle, and their two daughters Nasjae and Daisjah moved back into their home on El Dorado Street after living in a FEMA trailer for almost two years. "I would like to say that [lowernine.org] has really made my life back whole again with all the help they have given me and my family here in the Lower Ninth Ward. Without the help...I just don't know where we would be right now." Bradley said.
The family are not only enjoying being back home after more than three years, they are giving back by allowing lowernine.org access to storage on their property for tools and equipment. All part of the spirit of cooperation and supprt that makes up a true neighborhood.
In addition to the Bradleys, lowernine.org has assisted eight other families in
returning to their homes in the Lower Ninth Ward. It is our great honor to have
helped them in their recovery, and we look forward to the opportunites that 2009 will afford us in our continued efforts in rebuilding not only homes, but the community in which they stand.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Community Garden/Urban Farming
Based upon the work that lowernine.org began early this year to support the Laurentine Ernst Community Garden (the only community garden still surviving in the neighborhood) we have begun a large-scale community gardening/urban farming initiative, which we hope to buildinto a self-sustaining Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) operation by the summer of 2009.
Long-term volunteers Brennan Dougherty and husband Gustavo Chacon-Rojas arrived
in the spring of 2008 with the idea that they would volunteer for a time, then buy land and start a farm. After discussions with lowernine.org's executive director, a lifelong proponent of alternative agricultural models, they decided that the time was right to conduct an intensive experiment right here in the Lower Ninth Ward.
By obtaining leases from owners of lots in the neighborhood upon which houses no longer stand, lowernine.org are establishing a network of community garden spaces and have identified one parcel large enough to make growing organic vegetables feasible on a larger scale.
In addition to providing residents with readily available healthy food choices (in a neighborhood which still does not have a grocery store) the gardens will educate about organic backyard agriculture and nutrition, and provide a series of green spaces within the urban environment. lowernine.org has joined with other community groups to form the Lower Ninth Ward Urban Farming Coalition and we are testing soils, building raised beds, hauling topsoil, making compost, planning upcoming classes for children and adults and looking forward to the harvest!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Our Sponsors
The United Way of Greater New Orleans
CHF International,
The Denver Foundation
The Annenberg Foundation
The Midler Family Foundation
The Otto and Fran Walter Foundation
The Annenberg Foundation
The Midler Family Foundation
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(show/hide changes)Wed May 13 04:26:59 +0000 2009 by DNug:DN: Input links from Newletter spring/summer 2009 volume 1, issue 1
notes: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
lowernine.orgnews
fall/winter 2008
volume 1, issue 1
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
rebuilding homes. restoring services. reviving hope. reaching out.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Danny Bourque / The Times-Picayune
Dear lowernine.org friends;
Please take a moment to revisit the Lower Ninth Ward and catch up with us and our work here by reading this newsletter. You have helped make this possible!
We want to thank each of you for the time and energy you have committed to both
lowernine.org and the residents of the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans. Our work here is far from finished, but it is thrilling and encouraging to see all that is getting accomplished through the dedication and hard work of our generous volunteers and donors.
Since we began our rebuilding work in November 2007, we have moved nine families into their homes, beautified hundreds of yards and public spaces, assisted in the renovation of a new community center, and established a community garden. We are now able to fund the installation of electric and plumbing in 50 Lower Ninth Ward homes through a generous donation from the Midler Family Foundation, and we have just welcomed our 700th volunteer, bringing the number of L9 volunteer hours worked on local rebuild projects to just over 26,000.
In This Issue
One Year On
Families Return Home
One Volunteer's Story
Community Garden/Urban Farming
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
One Year On
October marked the one year anniversary of lowernine.org's official arrival in the Lower Ninth Ward. Last October, lowernine.org was donated and began rebuilding the home on El Dorado Street that acts as our headquarters/volunteer housing facility.
This fall, however, marks the second anniversary of founder and executive director Rick Prose's first trip to New Orleans post-Katrina - a trip that sparked the idea that unskilled volunteers could play an important role in the rebuilding of homes in the Lower Nine.
Starting with nothing but a will to help one family recover what was taken from
them on August 29th, 2005, the organization was granted 501(c)3 tax-exempt status, has raised enough money to remain in operation for the past year, hosted over 700 volunteers from all parts of the country, and returned nine families to their homes to date.
In addition to rebuilding, our volunteers have performed a variety of jobs, including vacant lot maintenance, neighborhood cleanup, community gardening, surveying, organizing a neighborhood farmers' market, and offering volunteer assitance to other nonprofits in the community.
"This neighborhood has welcomed us with open arms," says lowernine.org's Director of Development Laura Paul. "Our ability to bring people together from all over the country and put them to work rebuilding this community is so meaningful. We are all lucky to be a part of the process, and we all feel that, whether we stay for a day or commit for the long haul. The residents feel that, and they respect and welcome it."
Executive Director Rick Prose adds, "This all started very much on a wing and a
prayer. A year ago all we had was a commitment of financial support sufficient to keep the organization afloat for a few months. We had our house donated along with some basic tools and equipment, but we had no paid staff and no idea if we would be able to generate enough interest among volunteers to make this thing work."
"Well, it has worked. It is working. And we're getting folks back in their homes. Kind of amazing, eh?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Families Return Home
This summer saw the return of the Bradley family - the first of the families whose homes have been fully or partially rebuilt through the efforts of lowernine.org's staff and volunteers. What an exciting time!
In July, Roy Bradley, his wife Danielle, and their two daughters Nasjae and Daisjah moved back into their home on El Dorado Street after living in a FEMA trailer for almost two years. "I would like to say that [lowernine.org] has really made my life back whole again with all the help they have given me and my family here in the Lower Ninth Ward. Without the help...I just don't know where we would be right now." Bradley said.
The family are not only enjoying being back home after more than three years, they are giving back by allowing lowernine.org access to storage on their property for tools and equipment. All part of the spirit of cooperation and supprt that makes up a true neighborhood.
In addition to the Bradleys, lowernine.org has assisted eight other families in
returning to their homes in the Lower Ninth Ward. It is our great honor to have
helped them in their recovery, and we look forward to the opportunites that 2009 will afford us in our continued efforts in rebuilding not only homes, but the community in which they stand.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Community Garden/Urban Farming
Based upon the work that lowernine.org began early this year to support the Laurentine Ernst Community Garden (the only community garden still surviving in the neighborhood) we have begun a large-scale community gardening/urban farming initiative, which we hope to buildinto a self-sustaining Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) operation by the summer of 2009.
Long-term volunteers Brennan Dougherty and husband Gustavo Chacon-Rojas arrived
in the spring of 2008 with the idea that they would volunteer for a time, then buy land and start a farm. After discussions with lowernine.org's executive director, a lifelong proponent of alternative agricultural models, they decided that the time was right to conduct an intensive experiment right here in the Lower Ninth Ward.
By obtaining leases from owners of lots in the neighborhood upon which houses no longer stand, lowernine.org are establishing a network of community garden spaces and have identified one parcel large enough to make growing organic vegetables feasible on a larger scale.
In addition to providing residents with readily available healthy food choices (in a neighborhood which still does not have a grocery store) the gardens will educate about organic backyard agriculture and nutrition, and provide a series of green spaces within the urban environment. lowernine.org has joined with other community groups to form the Lower Ninth Ward Urban Farming Coalition and we are testing soils, building raised beds, hauling topsoil, making compost, planning upcoming classes for children and adults and looking forward to the harvest!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Our Sponsors
The United Way of Greater New Orleans
CHF International,
The Denver Foundation
The Annenberg Foundation
The Midler Family Foundation
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
excerpts from Newletter spring/summer 2009 volume 1, issue 1
Links to projects:
Community Revitalization Through Urban Agriculture
http://www.lowernineurbanfarming.org/
http://eggplantbrigade.blogspot.com/
[These sites, like the rest of the Lower Ninth Ward, are under construction! There's still some good information there, and if you need more, you can call our office at (504) 278-1240.]
A spring update
from executive director
Rick Prose
Let me begin by saying thank-you to all our generous donors and our hard-working
volunteers. We would never be able to carry on rebuilding homes in the Lower Ninth Ward without them.
To date, lowernine.org has worked on over 60 properties. 15 families have returned to homes completely rebuilt by lowernine.org and another 10 families have returned home with assistance from us - a total of 75 residents of the Lower Ninth Ward.
We still need your help. We at lowernine.org know these are tough economic times, and we don't need to tell you, our stakeholders and friends that in times of need, the services nonprofit organizations provide their communities are that much more important.
This spring, please consider a donation to lowernine.org. Click here
[http://www.lowernine.org/donate.html] for more information on how to help.
Consider taking a page out of Lauren Goldberg's book. Lauren volunteered with lowernine.org and is getting married this summer. Instead of bridal shower gifts, her guests have been encouraged to make donations to lowernine.org on her behalf - thanks, Lauren, and thanks to your friends and family! Congratulations on your upcoming marriage - lowernine.org wishes you all the very best!
Birthdays, baby showers, and other occasions also offer the opportunity to give
back. Please contact us if you want to arrange something similar.
Again, thanks for all your support. Please share our mission and our information
with family and friends, and please stay in touch.
In service,
Rick Prose
executive director
lowernine.org
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
lowernine.orgnews
fall/winter 2008
volume 1, issue 1
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
rebuilding homes. restoring services. reviving hope. reaching out.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Danny Bourque / The Times-Picayune
Dear lowernine.org friends;
Please take a moment to revisit the Lower Ninth Ward and catch up with us and our work here by reading this newsletter. You have helped make this possible!
We want to thank each of you for the time and energy you have committed to both
lowernine.org and the residents of the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans. Our work here is far from finished, but it is thrilling and encouraging to see all that is getting accomplished through the dedication and hard work of our generous volunteers and donors.
Since we began our rebuilding work in November 2007, we have moved nine families into their homes, beautified hundreds of yards and public spaces, assisted in the renovation of a new community center, and established a community garden. We are now able to fund the installation of electric and plumbing in 50 Lower Ninth Ward homes through a generous donation from the Midler Family Foundation, and we have just welcomed our 700th volunteer, bringing the number of L9 volunteer hours worked on local rebuild projects to just over 26,000.
In This Issue
One Year On
Families Return Home
One Volunteer's Story
Community Garden/Urban Farming
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
One Year On
October marked the one year anniversary of lowernine.org's official arrival in the Lower Ninth Ward. Last October, lowernine.org was donated and began rebuilding the home on El Dorado Street that acts as our headquarters/volunteer housing facility.
This fall, however, marks the second anniversary of founder and executive director Rick Prose's first trip to New Orleans post-Katrina - a trip that sparked the idea that unskilled volunteers could play an important role in the rebuilding of homes in the Lower Nine.
Starting with nothing but a will to help one family recover what was taken from
them on August 29th, 2005, the organization was granted 501(c)3 tax-exempt status, has raised enough money to remain in operation for the past year, hosted over 700 volunteers from all parts of the country, and returned nine families to their homes to date.
In addition to rebuilding, our volunteers have performed a variety of jobs, including vacant lot maintenance, neighborhood cleanup, community gardening, surveying, organizing a neighborhood farmers' market, and offering volunteer assitance to other nonprofits in the community.
"This neighborhood has welcomed us with open arms," says lowernine.org's Director of Development Laura Paul. "Our ability to bring people together from all over the country and put them to work rebuilding this community is so meaningful. We are all lucky to be a part of the process, and we all feel that, whether we stay for a day or commit for the long haul. The residents feel that, and they respect and welcome it."
Executive Director Rick Prose adds, "This all started very much on a wing and a
prayer. A year ago all we had was a commitment of financial support sufficient to keep the organization afloat for a few months. We had our house donated along with some basic tools and equipment, but we had no paid staff and no idea if we would be able to generate enough interest among volunteers to make this thing work."
"Well, it has worked. It is working. And we're getting folks back in their homes. Kind of amazing, eh?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Families Return Home
This summer saw the return of the Bradley family - the first of the families whose homes have been fully or partially rebuilt through the efforts of lowernine.org's staff and volunteers. What an exciting time!
In July, Roy Bradley, his wife Danielle, and their two daughters Nasjae and Daisjah moved back into their home on El Dorado Street after living in a FEMA trailer for almost two years. "I would like to say that [lowernine.org] has really made my life back whole again with all the help they have given me and my family here in the Lower Ninth Ward. Without the help...I just don't know where we would be right now." Bradley said.
The family are not only enjoying being back home after more than three years, they are giving back by allowing lowernine.org access to storage on their property for tools and equipment. All part of the spirit of cooperation and supprt that makes up a true neighborhood.
In addition to the Bradleys, lowernine.org has assisted eight other families in
returning to their homes in the Lower Ninth Ward. It is our great honor to have
helped them in their recovery, and we look forward to the opportunites that 2009 will afford us in our continued efforts in rebuilding not only homes, but the community in which they stand.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Community Garden/Urban Farming
Based upon the work that lowernine.org began early this year to support the Laurentine Ernst Community Garden (the only community garden still surviving in the neighborhood) we have begun a large-scale community gardening/urban farming initiative, which we hope to buildinto a self-sustaining Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) operation by the summer of 2009.
Long-term volunteers Brennan Dougherty and husband Gustavo Chacon-Rojas arrived
in the spring of 2008 with the idea that they would volunteer for a time, then buy land and start a farm. After discussions with lowernine.org's executive director, a lifelong proponent of alternative agricultural models, they decided that the time was right to conduct an intensive experiment right here in the Lower Ninth Ward.
By obtaining leases from owners of lots in the neighborhood upon which houses no longer stand, lowernine.org are establishing a network of community garden spaces and have identified one parcel large enough to make growing organic vegetables feasible on a larger scale.
In addition to providing residents with readily available healthy food choices (in a neighborhood which still does not have a grocery store) the gardens will educate about organic backyard agriculture and nutrition, and provide a series of green spaces within the urban environment. lowernine.org has joined with other community groups to form the Lower Ninth Ward Urban Farming Coalition and we are testing soils, building raised beds, hauling topsoil, making compost, planning upcoming classes for children and adults and looking forward to the harvest!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Our Sponsors
The United Way of Greater New Orleans
CHF International,
The Denver Foundation
The Annenberg Foundation
The Midler Family Foundation
The Otto and Fran Walter Foundation
The Annenberg Foundation
The Midler Family Foundation
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(show/hide changes)Sat Dec 06 06:30:02 +0000 2008 by tfri:Updated Region
Corrected needs/avails, added needs
TF: input newsletter, 12-08
notes: -> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
lowernine.orgnews
fall/winter 2008
volume 1, issue 1
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
rebuilding homes. restoring services. reviving hope. reaching out.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Danny Bourque / The Times-Picayune
Dear lowernine.org friends;
Please take a moment to revisit the Lower Ninth Ward and catch up with us and our work here by reading this newsletter. You have helped make this possible!
We want to thank each of you for the time and energy you have committed to both
lowernine.org and the residents of the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans. Our work here is far from finished, but it is thrilling and encouraging to see all that is getting accomplished through the dedication and hard work of our generous volunteers and donors.
Since we began our rebuilding work in November 2007, we have moved nine families into their homes, beautified hundreds of yards and public spaces, assisted in the renovation of a new community center, and established a community garden. We are now able to fund the installation of electric and plumbing in 50 Lower Ninth Ward homes through a generous donation from the Midler Family Foundation, and we have just welcomed our 700th volunteer, bringing the number of L9 volunteer hours worked on local rebuild projects to just over 26,000.
In This Issue
One Year On
Families Return Home
One Volunteer's Story
Community Garden/Urban Farming
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
One Year On
October marked the one year anniversary of lowernine.org's official arrival in the Lower Ninth Ward. Last October, lowernine.org was donated and began rebuilding the home on El Dorado Street that acts as our headquarters/volunteer housing facility.
This fall, however, marks the second anniversary of founder and executive director Rick Prose's first trip to New Orleans post-Katrina - a trip that sparked the idea that unskilled volunteers could play an important role in the rebuilding of homes in the Lower Nine.
Starting with nothing but a will to help one family recover what was taken from
them on August 29th, 2005, the organization was granted 501(c)3 tax-exempt status, has raised enough money to remain in operation for the past year, hosted over 700 volunteers from all parts of the country, and returned nine families to their homes to date.
In addition to rebuilding, our volunteers have performed a variety of jobs, including vacant lot maintenance, neighborhood cleanup, community gardening, surveying, organizing a neighborhood farmers' market, and offering volunteer assitance to other nonprofits in the community.
"This neighborhood has welcomed us with open arms," says lowernine.org's Director of Development Laura Paul. "Our ability to bring people together from all over the country and put them to work rebuilding this community is so meaningful. We are all lucky to be a part of the process, and we all feel that, whether we stay for a day or commit for the long haul. The residents feel that, and they respect and welcome it."
Executive Director Rick Prose adds, "This all started very much on a wing and a
prayer. A year ago all we had was a commitment of financial support sufficient to keep the organization afloat for a few months. We had our house donated along with some basic tools and equipment, but we had no paid staff and no idea if we would be able to generate enough interest among volunteers to make this thing work."
"Well, it has worked. It is working. And we're getting folks back in their homes. Kind of amazing, eh?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Families Return Home
This summer saw the return of the Bradley family - the first of the families whose homes have been fully or partially rebuilt through the efforts of lowernine.org's staff and volunteers. What an exciting time!
In July, Roy Bradley, his wife Danielle, and their two daughters Nasjae and Daisjah moved back into their home on El Dorado Street after living in a FEMA trailer for almost two years. "I would like to say that [lowernine.org] has really made my life back whole again with all the help they have given me and my family here in the Lower Ninth Ward. Without the help...I just don't know where we would be right now." Bradley said.
The family are not only enjoying being back home after more than three years, they are giving back by allowing lowernine.org access to storage on their property for tools and equipment. All part of the spirit of cooperation and supprt that makes up a true neighborhood.
In addition to the Bradleys, lowernine.org has assisted eight other families in
returning to their homes in the Lower Ninth Ward. It is our great honor to have
helped them in their recovery, and we look forward to the opportunites that 2009 will afford us in our continued efforts in rebuilding not only homes, but the community in which they stand.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Community Garden/Urban Farming
Based upon the work that lowernine.org began early this year to support the Laurentine Ernst Community Garden (the only community garden still surviving in the neighborhood) we have begun a large-scale community gardening/urban farming initiative, which we hope to buildinto a self-sustaining Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) operation by the summer of 2009.
Long-term volunteers Brennan Dougherty and husband Gustavo Chacon-Rojas arrived
in the spring of 2008 with the idea that they would volunteer for a time, then buy land and start a farm. After discussions with lowernine.org's executive director, a lifelong proponent of alternative agricultural models, they decided that the time was right to conduct an intensive experiment right here in the Lower Ninth Ward.
By obtaining leases from owners of lots in the neighborhood upon which houses no longer stand, lowernine.org are establishing a network of community garden spaces and have identified one parcel large enough to make growing organic vegetables feasible on a larger scale.
In addition to providing residents with readily available healthy food choices (in a neighborhood which still does not have a grocery store) the gardens will educate about organic backyard agriculture and nutrition, and provide a series of green spaces within the urban environment. lowernine.org has joined with other community groups to form the Lower Ninth Ward Urban Farming Coalition and we are testing soils, building raised beds, hauling topsoil, making compost, planning upcoming classes for children and adults and looking forward to the harvest!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Our Sponsors
The United Way of Greater New Orleans
CHF International,
The Denver Foundation
The Annenberg Foundation
The Midler Family Foundation
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(show/hide changes)Sun Oct 05 15:23:33 +0000 2008 by LTel:Updated Region
Corrected needs/avails, added needs
(show/hide changes)Wed Sep 17 19:36:47 +0000 2008 by CShe:Updated Region
town: New Orleans -> New Orleans, 9th Ward
latitude: 29.959582 ->
longitude: -90.012329 ->
region: -> Gulf
cat_notes: ->
(show/hide changes)Mon Jul 14 23:33:52 +0000 2008 by rpro:mission: We are are home rebuild, training and social support organization working in the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans. -> We are a home rebuild, training and social support organization working in the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans.
(show/hide changes)Mon Jul 14 23:33:12 +0000 2008 by rpro:(show/hide changes)(hide history)