Immediate Neighborhood - Lakeview

The population around our church is now almost 40 percent of what it was before Hurricane Katrina hist our shores. We consider this great news.

The bad news concerns blighted properties. The Lakeview Civic Improvement Association estimates that 1,400 properties remain blighted.

All of Lakeview, population 24,000 before the storm, went under water, some of it as deep as 11 feet. Lakeview is the neighborhood into which the breached 17th Street Canal poured its flood waters.

More good news—900 homes in Lakeview are under construction. When these homes are occupied the population should jump to around 13,000. Many of the new residents of Lakeview are young people. Our church is eager to reach out to these families.

The excellent elementary school, Hines Charter, should be housed in new facilities in Lakeview by the end of next year. This will be a huge incentive for young families to relocate in our area.

Lakeview now has 1,900 vacant lots as a result of widespread demolition of flooded properties. Many of these lots will be purchased by neighbors next door and become green space.

Even more good news--our Early Learning Center, the only full-time day care facility in Lakeview, now has 112 children enrolled and is gaining new enrollees almost daily. This ministry is bringing new faces to our door step and provides us an opportunity to teach little children about the love of God. Our excellent faculty uses the LifeWay curriculum for age-appropriate learning.

The best news of all—First Baptist New Orleans has an opportunity to reach out to these new residents with the message of salvation in Christ. We are privileged to be part of an active community. And we are called to communicate the love of God found through Jesus Christ our Lord.