Village Vision

New Orleans’ Lower 9th Ward, a culturally vibrant and historic neighborhood, was devastated in the wake of Hurricane Katrina in August 2005. As the neighborhood hardest hit by the storm and the subsequent flooding of the city, the Lower 9th Ward saw thousands of residents displaced and homes destroyed.

Over four years later, residents are slowly returning to rebuild their neighborhood. But the Lower 9th Ward desperately needs services to rebuild and sustain the community. The Lower 9th Ward Village will help fill this void by providing a range of services, from literacy, job training and apprenticeship programs to recreational facilities and community meeting space.

The Lower 9th Ward Village is a tax-exempt not-for-profit community center that will serve the residents of the Lower 9th Ward as they rebuild their lives and their community. The main purpose for the Lower 9th Ward Village is to serve as a focal point for residents returning to the neighborhood by offering a number of services in one centralized location, thereby contributing to community revitalization.

Mission Statement

To make the Lower 9th Ward whole again, or better than it was. Simple as that … and as complicated as it sounds!

“Where’s your Neighbor?” Program

The “Where’s Your Neighbor” program is Village Executive Director Ward “Mack” McLendon’s vision for a grassroots, community-led rebuilding effort. Born and raised in the Lower 9th Ward, Mack has heard all about the myth that people don’t want to return to their homes after Hurricane Katrina — and he knows it’s a lie. People DO want to return home.

In disaster situations such as hurricanes, earthquakes, and tsunamis, the money doesn’t often seem to get to the people who need it most. So, rather than relying on government or charity infrastructures, communities around the world would do best to organize themselves. The Village hopes to collaborate with Lower 9th Ward residents and stakeholders to assemble a comprehensive database of displaced neighbors. The database will detail each resident’s plan for return and any obstacles that are standing in his or her way.

So far, we’ve gotten a stove for Miss Henrietta, and are compiling a short list of deserving individuals who have experienced contractor fraud, life-changing injuries, and other challenging situations that are preventing them from leading the fully-realized lives they led, pre-Katrina.

“Where’s Your Neighbor?”…helping people become whole.