Overview

lowernine.org is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to the long-term recovery of the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans, Louisiana in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and the levee breaches of 2005. Founded by Maine boat builder Rick Prose, lowernine.org was the follow-up organization to nonprofit Emergency Communities, which sprung up after Katrina and provided early forms of disaster relief and recovery in Mississippi and Louisiana. As years passed and the initial feeding, mold remediation, and gutting work was completed, it was apparent that skilled rebuilding would be the next step in the process. Rick brought a group of volunteers from his home town of Boothbay Harbor, and quickly realized that under skilled supervision, unskilled volunteers could fully rebuild flood-damaged homes. lowernine.org was born. lowernine.org uses volunteer labor under skilled supervision to rebuild flood-damaged properties, bringing cost of construction down to approximately 30% of open market rate. We are also able to reduce some clients’ rebuild costs by connecting them with additional project funding and in-kind donations of materials and subcontractor services. Since 2007, lowernine.org has had volunteers from thirty-seven different countries providing over 11 million dollars’ worth of volunteer labor to complete 88 full rebuilds and almost 300 smaller housing repairs. Our home rebuild program has returned more Lower Ninth Ward families to safe, affordable housing than any other single organization in the neighborhood. Unfortunately, recovery has been slow, blight remains high, and population return is significantly lower than the rest of the city. As of the 10th anniversary of Katrina, Lower Ninth Ward population return was only 36.7%, lagging far behind the rest of the City of New Orleans. We continue to advance the recovery of our neighborhood by hosting and training volunteers from all over the world to serve our clients in the Lower Ninth Ward.