NEW ORLEANS —
The Desire neighborhood, across from George Washington Carver High School, was overrun with tires, mattresses and stolen cars just a few months ago.
Now, with the help of a local non-profit the area is getting starting to clear up. However, there are more obstacles to overcome.
No one knows the area quite like Rev. James Willis. He’s been working at Carver Desire Baptist on Montegut Street for three decades. When he returned to the neighborhood following Hurricane Katrina, he was faced with a tough task.
“The church had 11 feet of water in it,” said Willis while talking with WWLTV’s Paul Dudley. “The lord told me to go back and rebuild the church and rebuild the community.
Today, the church is back but the community has continued to struggled.
“We want to see the Desire community be a desirable place to be but as long as it looks like this no one wants to come here,” Willis said.
But then there was progress after Willis got in touch with United Saints Recovery Project, a non-profit group mostly made up of student volunteers.
First, they helped rebuild Naomi Farve’s home.
“The people they brought from across the country — the young people had such zeal and zest to do and to help,” said Favre. “We are just so appreciative of that.”
Since October, the group has been back working to clear debris from six blocks of the neighborhood. Mattresses, overgrown brush, stolen cars all illegally dumped — and that was just the beginning.
“Of course, there were the tires,” said United Saints Recovery Project executive director Chris Schottland. “[These] are the last of about 1,200 or so that have been pulled out of this neighborhood.”
The neighborhood still has a ways to go. Poor lighting, busted water lines, beat up roads and sidewalks all make neighbors here feel forgotten.
“Why this neighborhood? Mostly because there are not that many eyes on the street,” said Schottland.
The church has purchased 10 lots which they maintain. However, they’ve run out of money. Now with United Saints set to wrap up the clean up project, Willis hopes investors will bring new projects and new life to the neighborhood.
It’s a long shot, he says. But he also says a little faith can go a long way.
“My thinking is this. If the lord sent me back here to rebuild the community then this community is going to be rebuilt,” said Willis.