Lowernine.org
lowernine.org is a volunteer organization that was established in 2007 and is dedicated to re-establishing a sense of community in New Orleans' historic Lower Ninth Ward after Hurricane Katrina.[1]
lowernine.org was established after the end of Emergency Communities, one of the first nonprofit organizations formed as of the result of Hurricane Katrina in 2005.[2] The headquarters of lowernine.org is located in the Holy Cross neighborhood of New Orleans' Lower Ninth Ward.
Hurricane Katrina made landfall on the Gulf Coast on August 29th, 2005 and resulting levee breaches in New Orleans flooded 80% of the city. The Lower Ninth Ward was very badly devastated by the storm due to its close proximity to the Industrial Canal levee breach - 100% of the homes in the neighborhood were rendered uninhabitable. Although this area suffered the most devastating repercussions of the storm, the Lower Ninth Ward has lagged behind tremendously in rebuilding compared to other parts of the city. This is a result of poverty and improper action of the state and federal government.
lowernine.org primarily focuses on rebuilding houses that were destroyed in the hurricane. They also rebuild a sense of community through the works of gardening projects, social outreach, referring residents to counseling services, and by helping residents receive basic medical and mental health care. lowernine.org is dedicated to training local residents and volunteers from across the United States and around the world in residential construction and facilitating them in how to help others. They provide residents and volunteers with the skills and tools necessary to bring the Lower Ninth Ward back to life. These range from very basic skills to advanced construction.
lowernine.org offers their services to all people. Age, gender, ethnicity, physical abilities, religious beliefs and economic status do not play a role in lowernine.org’s decision to help. The people of the Lower Ninth Ward were discriminated against due to these factors, and as of a result they did not receive proper aid compared to other people in New Orleans, and to other people from across the United States when other natural disasters struck. lowernine.org gives these individuals a voice; they reveal the realities of how they were treated and/or mistreated, and they explain why the Lower Ninth Ward is still not rebuilt eight years after the storm.
lowernine.org is funded entirely by individual donations and service volunteers, as well as by donations given for neighborhood tours. lowernine.org stated that it is volunteers who have rebuilt the city of New Orleans, and that it is volunteers who deserve all of the credit; not the government.
To date, lowernine.org has worked with over 4,000 volunteers, and has rebuilt more than 50 homes, completing smaller projects on over 150 more properties. As of August 2012, over 170 homes in the Lower Ninth Ward are on lowernine.org's waiting list for rebuilding. Although any form of service is greatly appreciated, those skilled in carpentry, electrical wiring, and plumbing are sought as volunteers. The Lower Ninth Ward is a place filled with unique and inspiring citizens who deserve to have a sense of community restored back into the place they call home.
References
- ↑ Hurricane Katrina
- ↑ "lowernine.org". lowernine.org. Retrieved 2008-04-15.