Amanda Ippolito

When first arriving to the Lower Ninth Ward Village I was overwhelmed by all the disorganization and clutter. As a group, we finally were able to sit down and discuss a set of long-term and short-term goals to get this place organized and child-safe.  One of the biggest messes inside the Village was the broken, wobbly bookshelves piled with all types of books- new, old, torn, and used. I spent a lot of time today (1/8) categorizing, sorting, and moving the books so they can be more accessible to anyone who comes in and wants to use this library. Despite all the sneezing from all the piles of dust, I feel like I have made a stride toward helping educate children of the Lower Ninth Ward. Since Mac keeps saying that “New Orleans is #1 in crime and murder” maybe finding an escape in books can help relieve some of the transgressions of the community, especially amongst the children to young adults. Although I at first I was disappointed we weren’t doing exactly organized Habitat for Humanity building tasks, I realize that sometimes a little disorganization can help bring people together. J

For more information about the Lower Ninth Ward Village please visit their website here and if you would like to make a donation, you can do that here.