“The generous will
themselves be blessed." ~ Proverbs 22:9
Prior to the devastation left by
Hurricane Katrina in 2005, New Orleans’ Lower 9th Ward boasted over
15,000 people. There were stores, homes
and traffic. Katrina changed all that!
Years after the storm, much of New Orleans returned to
normal - more than 50% of the city's wards regained their pre-storm populations.
That wasn’t the case for the Lower Ninth where entire blocks
remained dotted with overgrown lots and abandoned businesses. Desperation plagued the mostly
African-American district.
The closest grocery store (Walmart) took 3 city bus
transfers.
So, Ninth Ward resident Burnell Cotlon decided to change
that. Using money saved while working at
fast food restaurants and dollar stores, he bought a formerly-flooded building at
Caffin and North Galvez Streets. And in
2014 he opened the Lower Ninth Ward’s first grocery store since the storm.
Grateful customers returned quickly
- single moms, families, kids. “I love
my customers; they’re like family,” Cotlon began.
“Then COVID struck another blow
to our community. At least, with a
hurricane, we had a chance to evacuate.”
The resulting quarantines hurt
Ninth Ward resident particularly hard - a large percentage work in the hotel
and seafood industries. When everything shut
down, little money circulated.
But rather than retreat, the
former U.S. Army vet ramped up his service to the neighborhood.
As the owner of the only grocery
store within a 5-mile radius, Burnell expanded his service to customers hit by
massive layoffs. Not only can you buy
fresh produce and other items at Burnell’s bustling Market today, but you can
also do your laundry, search the internet, grab some takeout food, get a
haircut and even get legal papers notarized.
And for those who can’t pay in
full, (and that’s more than a few) – he allows them to buy food on credit and ‘donating’
food to those most in need.
His personal ledger looks
bleak. “It hurts, because it caused me
to get a little bit behind on my own bills,” he admitted. “But I found my purpose. My purpose is service. I live here; these are my neighbors who’re
hurting. So, I just do what I can. I couldn’t turn my back, because there's
nowhere else for them to go.”
“If we can get through Katrina,
we can get through anything. We're going
to be OK. I’m just a ‘regular’ guy. My goal in life is to support the Lower 9th
Ward until it stands on par with the rest of New Orleans.”
A regular guy … with deep faith
… and supersized dreams. All of the rich
food, music, and vibrant colors of New Orleans seem so much better off knowing
its story of resilience, hope and apostles like Burnell Cotlon whose actions
preach more loudly than his lips.
Lord, as I face my fears, when I’m feeling helpless,
remind me of who YOU are, and who I am in You. You are strong and courageous, so I can “take
courage,” knowing You are with me, You are for me, and You will empower me. Amen
