It is with profound sadness that I announce the passing of Ward "Mack" McClendon, bold community leader of the Lower 9th Ward and founder of the Lower Ninth Ward Village. In 2007, he launched the Lower Ninth Ward Village, a neighborhood community center to bring his community back after Hurricane Katrina.
His original plan was to turn the Village into a garage to restore old antiques cars, but his love for people and his community compelled him to turn the empty Katrina-damaged building into a community center. His vision was for people to empower themselves and to care about one another, especially the elderly, youth, and working class. He gave his everything (his life savings and his own home) in order to help his neighbors and the Lower 9th Ward community fight to come back after Katrina. The Village offered several community programs including job training, literacy and apprenticeship programs as well as provided recreational services to the neighborhood youth and community meeting space for several community based organizations.
Over eight years, Mack worked with countless volunteers from around the world to rebuild the Lower 9th Ward. Mack walked alongside President Jimmy Carter and other political leaders to show the growing needs of the community and the city of New Orleans. Most recently, the Village received a grant from the Neighborhood Capacity Building Initiative (NCBI) to develop a neighborhood collaborative to implement a fresh produce market that addressed access to healthy food; one of the community’s most pressing concerns.
The final arrangements for Ward “Mack” McClendon will be Saturday, February 21, 2015 at Next Generation of Original Morning Star at 3536 St, Ferdinand Street. The viewing will be from 9-10 a.m. and the service will start at 10. The repast will start immediately after the interment at 1001 Charbonnet (The Lower Ninth Ward Village). He will be sorely missed.