The Pontilly Neighborhood Association holds meetings the first Saturday of every other month.

On October 27, 2007, the Pontilly Disaster Collaborative organized neighborhood residents, representatives from area businesses, members of community organizations and city officials to pick up trash, cut grass, and tidy up the perimeter of the 190-acre park.  Over 250 participants came out to help.

Above Xavier University students celebrate their efforts with red beans and rice donated by Sheriff Marlin Gusman.

In summer 2007, volunteer groups came down from Oregon, Kansas, Ohio and Maryland and helped landscape St. Gabriel’s.

At one time a neighborhood playground with baseball fields and swing sets, the Morrison Playspot has become a field without much activity.  The road you see is a result of floodwall protection work by the Army Corps of Engineers.

Get your FEMA trailer garden growing!  Check out the innovative seed starter containers – egg shells in an egg carton!

Cousins Rian and T’Keyan on their way to the neighborhood snack shack – an after-school hangout.

Ms. Marigold began working on her garden before she worked on her house.  She said gardening is something she knew how to do. There must be something in the name.

Established by the Pontilly Disaster Collaborative, the Recovery Center exists to support residents of Pontchartrain Park and Gentilly Woods Neighborhoods in their efforts to rebuild.  The center provides informational materials, resources and assistance to help in any way needed.

The Neighborhood Association meetings are held at St. Gabriel the Archangel Catholic Church. One out of every four Pontilly residents is a member of St Gabriel’s. More than 150 neighborhood parishioners are back in their homes with much assistance from St. Gabriel’s.

Pontchartrain Park resident Debni Hammond rides her mower to the Community Center to cut the overgrown grass.

Louisiana Nursery of Baton Rouge donated several thousand dollars worth of plant material along with a planting plan.  Longue Vue garden outreach staff helped facilitate the planting.

The New Orleans Food and Farm Network came out to Morrison Playspot on a hot summer day to clean up. They want to support future food gardens in the park.

During post-Katrina community planning sessions, residents designated Morrison Playground as the site for a community garden, a children’s garden and neighborhood resource center.  Before Katrina several residents whose lots backed up to the park had extensive vegetable gardens. Mr. Holmes is back and growing!

Farmer the Rooster.  Although Farmer is no longer a member of the Pontilly community, some residents are actively involved in small urban agriculture projects, such as raising chickens.

Lakewood Beacon joined the collaborative in July 2007.  This organization donated lawn equipment, computers, and guidance to jump start the Recovery Center.  Now the Pontilly Recovery Center is officially a “Beacon of Hope”.  Recovery Center Manager, Audrey Browder (left) receives the computer delivery from Liz Widener of Lakewood Beacon. Visit: Beacon of hope resource center