New Orleans Senior Builds Community Through Gardening

Meet Daily Point of Light Award honoree Gloria Ward. Read her story, and nominate an outstanding volunteer or family as a Daily Point of Light.

In the historic New Orleans neighborhood of Tremé, visitors come to Miss Gloria’s Garden from all over. They come from down the street and across town. They come from nearby colleges, and stop in on vacations from France, Haiti, Russia and beyond. Many of these individuals volunteer, and often more than once.

Gloria Ward, a 77-year-old example of healthy living, started the approximately 2,250 square foot community garden in 2006 and filled it with vegetables, herbs and flowers. She made all of her own pots out of concrete and fabric. She also created a sandbox wrapped with a 30-foot vinyl snake and a swimming pool. And she designed a 1,500-yellow brick road twisting throughout, forming each brick herself.

“People like to just come out and hang out,” Gloria confirms. “They come to the garden and don’t want to leave.”

Volunteers help with upkeep. Visitors attend gardening and healthy eating classes as well as programming: plays, birthday parties, puppet shows and more. Many performances run under the gazebo with lawn chairs set up for the crowd. Jazz night is a particular favorite, where people can enjoy music alongside Gloria’s homegrown collards and fresh cornbread. “Self-Love Sundays” are also popular, engaging the services of three masseuses, two yoga teachers and two meditation teachers.

Gloria spent much of her life designing clothes for people like Miles Davis, Nancy Wilson and Marlena Shaw. Costuming for film and stage as well as set design was her passion.

“I used to make everything I wore and everything my kids wore,” she recalls. “I have been so lucky that I’ve been able to spend my life doing things I like to do.”

After a stint teaching art at the Chicago Park District, she learned to weld from a friend and opened a business she ran for nearly 12 years before retiring. In short, if something needs to be made, there’s a good chance Gloria can do it with one of her many skills.

Ten years ago, those skills led to meeting Oba Jordan Lorrius, someone who would become a grant writer, volunteer coordinator and all-around volunteer for the garden. Oba Jordan was the theater director for a local elementary school who reached out for help on a production.

“Gloria and I became besties the minute we met, and she made 15 costumes for these kids. The production was amazing,” he reminisces.
Gloria was also selling microgreens to restaurants at the time, because throughout her many reinventions, she has always gardened. Growing up in the south, her family grew everything they ate. She cites prejudice being the main factor for avoiding the grocery store, her grandmother hoping to shield her grandkids.

“I went to my first store when I was about 15,” she recalls. “When I was young, when we were in the store and someone white came in, we had to leave.”

Setting aside the harsh realities of the time, the skills she learned in childhood have led to a lifetime of healthy eating and a passion for cooking. Even while living in apartments, she kept buckets for growing.

“I treat my plants like I treat me. Plants like to be taken care of,” she explains.

Gloria has passed down her culinary interests to her daughter, a chef. Together, they use their harvest to run Miss Gloria’s Kitchen.

“From the soil to the soul,” she says, her penchant for catchy taglines on display.

Gloria sees many people her age plagued with illness and mobility limitations and stresses the importance of physical activity along with healthy food. She starts each day at 5:30 am with a water aerobics class. Oba Jordan, who joins her, is always impressed.

“I’m a strong man. I play rugby, hockey and did martial arts. I get sore and tired after water aerobics,” he says. “She goes to the gym!”

From there, she goes home, cleans up and heads straight out to the garden. She estimates she spends about 70 hours a week planting, harvesting, managing volunteers and schedules, and doing maintenance tasks.

“My goal is to educate the community on the importance of knowing what they’re eating, the health benefits of fresh vegetables and herbs and how to cook and enjoy them in ways that support wellness,” she explains. “I also teach children the value of healthy eating early in life so they can avoid health problems as they grow older.”

As a father and someone who has been heavily involved with children’s programming, Oba Jordan appreciates her outlook.

“She can’t stand to see kids go hungry,” he says, citing that Gloria will run programs for children regardless of their family’s resources.

But it’s not just kids. Gloria feeds the unhoused twice a year, more when funding is available.

“She’ll feed 300 to 500 people who are living under the overpass or in tents,” Oba Jordan says. “She builds a community around her through her giving.”

Gloria has volunteered most of her life for various initiatives, particularly as she began her career as a way to learn the ropes at theaters.

“I find that when you want to learn something, it’s good to go volunteer where they’re doing that,” she explains. “Everybody can use their interests to volunteer in different ways.”

This summer, Gloria is running her children’s weekly gardening program where young kids can learn to grow and cook their own vegetables then sell at the farmers’ market. They’ll also practice doing a balance sheet. Gloria works with a bank that will let them open up accounts with just $5.

“I try to teach the kids to be self-satisfied. Love yourself, and then learn how to treat other people,” Gloria states.

Looking ahead, she hopes to work with the city to grow on abandoned lots and share even more food with her community.

“I’d like to have lots where I can grow all field peas and another lot, all collard greens. Another would be all herbs so you can go pick vegetables anytime you want,” she muses. “It’s really a food desert out here.”

In the meantime, she’s teaching people to be healthy and self-sustainable. Her example inspires people to get involved.

“Gloria is such a selfless person,” Oba Jordan reflects. “She has so much love to offer to the community, and I want to be a part of supporting that.”

Do you want to make a difference in your community like Gloria Ward? Find local volunteer opportunities.