The Trumpet Returns to the Lower 9: Art, Life, Nature and Recovery

The March/April 2013 Trumpet once again shines the spotlight on the Lower 9th Ward: with features on Art in the 9, Food Security, restoration of Bayou Bienvenue, the Lower 9th Ward Village and so much more! Be sure to read this great issue!

Marquette Mardi Gras Madness

Marquette Mardi Gras

Making A Real Difference In Gulf Region Areas Surrounding

Students from Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin are in town performing Mardi Gras Madness with all their volunteer work!  Today, in only 2 hours, they created a border of recycled slate roof tiles for our Community Garden at 4819 Dauphine Street!  Throw them something Mister!  ;)

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Rochester Mission Group Rocks!

Double Entry to Plants Galore

Rochester Mission Group Rocks!

We would like to extend great gratitude to the Rochester Mission Group from Rochester, New York which included hard-working volunteers from Webster, Greece & Ogden Baptist Churches. Just look at what they helped us to accomplish  at our 4819 Dauphine Street Community Orchard in just TWO DAYS!!

Donated ginger was planted along the perimeter French drain which they dug & filled with broken brick pieces unearthed from the soil.  The French drain will redirect runoff into the soon-to-be-built rain garden.  Along with general debris & trash removal, the first entrance pathway was created using broken brick, cement, & recycled roofing slate.  

Holes were dug & measured & nine fruit trees were planted, watered, & mulched.  Neighbors will be able to enjoy the harvest from 2 Satsumas, 2 Ruby Red Grapefruit, 2 Blood Orange, 2 Meyers Lemon, & 1 Persian Lime!  Dreams do come true.   

The efforts of many continue to bear fruit as countless volunteers generously keep coming to help us rebuild & grow our community.

Related articles

Our Dream Is Becoming A RealityDouble Entry to Plants Galorehttp://www.lsuagcenter.com/en/lawn_garden/home_gardening/fruits_nuts/Louisiana+Home+Citrus+Production.htm

Lower 9th Ward "Views"

Lower 9th Ward "Views"

The Nation - We Are All From New Orleans Now: Climate Change, Hurricanes and the Fate of America's Coastal Cities

By Mike Tidwell

The presidential candidates decided not to speak about climate change, but climate change has decided to speak to them. And what is a thousand-mile-wide storm pushing eleven feet of water toward our country’s biggest population center saying just days before the election? It is this: we are all from New Orleans now. Climate change—through the measurable rise of sea levels and a documented increase in the intensity of Atlantic storms—has made 100 million Americans virtually as vulnerable to catastrophe as the victims of Hurricane Katrina were seven years ago.

Arriving atop fantastically warm water and aided by a full foot of sea-level rise during the last century, Hurricane Sandy is just the latest example of climate change’s impact on human society. Unless we rapidly phase out our use of fossil fuels, most Americans within shouting distance of an ocean will—in coming years—live behind the sort of massive levees and floodgates that mark Louisiana today. READ MORE >>

via www.thenation.com

Food Security for All! Hundreds Come Shop at Grocery Store For-A-Day.

A little snapshot of the good times we had on Saturday. Thanks to all who came out, and we hope to continue to have your support as we move forward. The vision of the Lower Ninth Ward Food Access Coalition is availability of fresh, quality food that is convenient and affordable to everyone in the Lower Ninth Ward.

- -Number of people who attended = approximately 300

- Number of community organizations participating = 20

- Number of volunteers = 50+

- Amount of food distributed = A LOT

- Funds raised = over $2700

- Pulling off the first grocery store in the Lower 9th Ward in DECADES (and the first pop-up grocery store EVER), inspiring hope and motivation in our community, and getting the media and our elected officials on board = PRICELESS

Submitted by Jenga Mwendo, CSED Food Security Coordinator

http://www.abc26.com/news/newswithatwist/wgno-pop-up-grocery-store-provides-temporary-relief-to-residents-of-the-lower-9th-ward-20121017,0,3438773.story

http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2012/10/lower_9th_ward_residents_annou.html#cmpid=nwsltrhead

http://www.bestofneworleans.com/blogofneworleans/archives/2012/10/12/lower-ninth-ward-to-get-grocery-store-for-a-day

http://wwno.org/post/grocery-store-day

http://www.nola.com/nolavie/index.ssf/2012/10/makin_groceries_in_the_lower_n.html#incart_flyout_living

Lower 9th Ward "Views"

Today on NOLA.com: Makin' groceries in the Lower Nine

By Sharon Litwin

Running out for a pint of milk is a pretty hard thing to do if you live in one of New Orleans’ “food deserts.” And forget about buying any fresh fruits or vegetables.That’s not going to happen if you live in the neighborhood below the Bywater.

But, now, seven years after Katrina, the folks in Lower Nine, tired of traveling nearly four miles into another parish to “make groceries” are organizing together and researching better options. They want to shop in their neighborhood and in their parish. And while that has historically meant going to a traditional grocery story, they’re flexible about even that.

“We could look at a food co-op, or healthy corner stores, even a mobile grocery store,” says Jenga Mwendo, food security coordinator with the Lower Ninth Ward Center for Sustainable Engagement and Development. Those ideas are the results of a series of meetings begun in April 2012 to allow the community to decide for itself what it wants in its neighborhood. Now, the recently-organized Lower Ninth Ward Food Access Coalition has decided on an action to demonstrate that they are serious. But, as with so many events undertaken by New Orleanians, this demonstration will be different. READ MORE >>

via www.nola.com

Lower 9 Community Turns Out to Protect the Mississippi from Port Changes

Earlier this week at the City Planning Commission, 18 Lower 9th Ward residents spoke out against land-use changes along the Mississippi River as proposed by the Port of New Orleans.

After comments from Lower 9 representatives, commissioners changed the Port of New Orleans and Planning Commission Staff proposal to address the concerns of the neighborhood:  

1. The Mississippi River levee from Lizard to Flood Street will continue to be green space/open space all the way down to the Mississippi River water line.
2. The city block where the Global Green homes are located will continue to be residential rather than industrial as proposed by the port.
3. The city block bounded by Charters, Charbonnet, Alabo and Royal Streets  will continue to be residential rather than industrial.

Community members were also able to convince the Planning Commission to deny another proposal by the Port of New Orleans to change a 200-acre area from natural to marine industrial use along Paris Road south of the Gulf Inner Coastal Waterway.