Support CSED on GiveNOLA Day, May 5, 2015

Support CSED for GiveNOLA Day, this Tuesday, May 5. Last year, we raised $6,009 for the Lower 9th Ward CSED. We've set our goal this year at $10,000 and 300 donors.

 

Your support will help us to continue our rebuilding work with Lower 9th Ward residents, in the Bayou Bienvenue Triangle, with food security through community gardens, and the renovation of our new office and energy efficiency/environmental education center. 

 

Donate to CSED for GiveNOLA Day.    We are most grateful for your support!

Herb Spiral Springs to Life at our Dauphine Community Garden

Thanks to our wonderful volunteers from American Baptist Churches of Massachusetts TABCOM, we now have an herb spiral in our Dauphine Community Garden.  They worked tirelessly to create this beautiful, environmentally-friendly structure from old bricks found on property.  Neighbors will now be able to harvest basil, garlic, marjoram, parsley, sage, thyme, and nasturtiums (an edible flower) in addition to the rosemary, chives, and mint already present. We are very grateful for the many hands and hearts of our generous volunteers...a gift that keeps on giving.

 

Learn more about herb spirals at http://themicrogardener.com/15-benefits-of-a-herb-spiral-in-your-garden/

 

Volunteers from Park Avenue Synagogue Help Us Prepare to Move & More

Our wonderful volunteers from Park Avenue Synagogue of New York City assisted the CSED staff as we prepare to move to our new home at 5227 Chartres Street. Rabbi Ethan Witkovsky and his wife Erin Beser volunteered 4 years ago with the CSED. This time they brought five youth with them to help with rebuilding our Lower 9th Ward Community.

But they didn't stop there...they continued their community service by raking leaves for composting at the CSED Dauphine Street Community Garden, weeded and planted flower seeds, replaced a brick border and cleaned up debris from recent sidewalk repair work. We so appreciate their giving spirits!

#Sustain the Nine - Support CSED KickStarter Campaign!

 

 

The VISION:  Download PERSPECTIVE 011414

The CAMPAIGN: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/312337143/the-center-a-sustainable-historic-house

Work Completed During Green Apple Day!

Green Apple Day of Service @ the Center

USGBC's Green Apple Day of Service volunteers perform work on the CENTER over the weekend.  Volunteers from LA insulated the back of the CENTER with polyiso insulation, caulked ceiling boards, painted and installed insulation around the perimeter - under the house.  Thank you USGBC, & thank you volunteers for all of the hard work!  We hope to see you again soon!

Butterfly Island Beginnings by Marquette Mardi Gras

New and returning volunteers with "Marquette Mardi Gras" helped us continue the reimagining of our Florida Avenue vacant lots by creating the beginnings of a butterfly island. They selectively cleared an existing circle of debris leaving in place the native wildflowers that were already growing there, built a center structure of logs and branches, added composted leaves, planted iris bulbs (given to us by our quintessential volunteer - Steve), broadcast wildflower seeds, and doused all with our rain catchment water.  Dragonflies and lizards were visiting the island as we worked :-) These Marquette University volunteers did all that in just a few hours time!!! and with great humor and warm hearts.  We are grateful and lifted by their spirit of giving. 

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Colleen Butler Computerized Design Plan for CSED Lots at Florida & Caffin Avenues

Marquette Mardi Gras Madness

Marquette Mardi Gras Volunteers Return to New Orleans

Thank you Marquette Volunteers!

Volunteers from Marquette University help out on the Center staining barge board walls and prepping floors for sanding!  When finished, beautiful old growth wood floors will be sanded and restored by Charles Reddick & Vincent Fedeli.

Great Giving Global Kids!

The CSED was fortunate to host Global Kids volunteers from New York City yesterday!  They gave their hands, hearts, and minds in service to two homeowners who are rebuilding their homes.  These high school students spent the day painting, cleaning, doing yard work, and sharing their  impressive thoughts about life in general. Very special kids indeed!

Hail to Historic Green 2014 Spring Greening !!!

A hearty thank you to all the Historic Green 2014 Spring Greening volunteers who spent a week in the Lower 9th Ward working on community projects. 

Their energy and enthusiasm produced a rain garden in the back yard of our Chartres Street property and a Bayou Pavillion designed by Anne McTernan with rain catchment and a small rain garden on our Florida Avenue property. 

But they accomplished much more at our Chartres Street house and at the Delery Street Playground.  They topped it all off by hosting a crawfish boil for the community!

Thank you, Historic Green, for your seven years of support through Spring Greening Events in March of each year since 2008!

Learn more about Historic Green and see their extensive photos of the 2014 Spring Greening event on their facebook page http://historicgreen.org/2014-spring-green-event/