“If I die trying to save this neighborhood, I am ready to go”

For most of Community Renewal’s 25-year history, Rosie Chaffold has been a stalwart advocate of her Allendale neighborhood, sharing her story with everyone from governors to gang leaders. A woman who refused to give up even in the face of some frightening opposition, she has been one of our most active Haven House leaders.

“When I moved here, Allendale was like the neighborhood I grew up in. It was hard-working people and it was a nice, clean area. Neighbors were looking out for neighbors. We didn’t even have to lock our houses,” she said.

“But after 15 years, most of those grew up and left Shreveport. The neighborhood started to go down. Children stopped going to school. And then the drug dealers took over. And I became a target because I did not approve of what was going on. I know people who got killed or had their houses torn down. My garage was burned down. But that didn’t stop me.”

My garage was burned down. They shot out my windows. But I was not going to let them get the best of me.” – Rosie Chaffold

For Ms. Rosie, the situation got worse before it got better.

“Then they shot out my windows and I told my children we were going to have to sleep on the floor. Those drug dealers were dangerous and I have to admit, I was scared. But I was not going to let them get the best of me. They were going to have to kill me because they were not going to run me away from my house.”

Ms. Rosie held on to the one thing that took her through many dark nights: Hope.

“I felt like in some way, God was not going to let Allendale be lost. I asked a man who owned a lot here if I could use it to put in a garden. I have always loved flowers since childhood. They bring beauty and they give me hope and they would give me strength for the rest of the day. He said they have already burned your garage down and shot out your windows. Do you want them to kill you?

“I remember telling him that if I die trying to save this neighborhood, I am ready to go. And I meant it. It was too nice of a place to just let it go. I came early in the morning to work in the garden and the drug dealers would laugh at me and call me names. That went on for months and then some of them started to work in the garden.”

But she still needed help and she prayed daily for help to come.

“I remember one particular morning I was in my yard feeling sorry for myself. And I started crying. And I said, ‘Lord, bring me a miracle.’ And as I raised up to wipe the tears from my eyes, I saw some people walking down the street. And they said, ‘Good morning! We are from Community Renewal and we came to help you.’

“The more they talked, the more I cried. And I said, ‘If you are willing to work with me, I will do all I can to work with you.’ That’s how I got to know Community Renewal. And I got more confident in them based on their actions.”

Churches, businesses, schools and many caring individuals have come over the years as Community Renewal partners, helping Ms. Rosie in the Allendale Garden of Hope and Love, as well as at the two Friendship Houses near the garden.

“I always felt in some kind of way this neighborhood would rise again. And it’s beginning to rise now. It’s not what it could be, but I’m working toward that goal. I’m not giving up and I know Community Renewal is not giving up,” she said. “I just hope and pray that in years to come, when I am no longer around, I hope somebody carries on the legacy of Community Renewal because it’s too important to let it just go away.”