Children’s Coalition
Announces New Executive Director
C
HILDREN AND FAMILIES ARE RAPIDLY FACING challenges, and the Children’s Coalition is stepping up to serve. Despite doors being closed to the Downtown Monroe headquarters, countless services have continued. Staff continues to provide classes remotely for our childcare providers in the Ancillary Teaching Certificate program, Child Care Connections and families in the Family Resource Center. Early Head Start families are also provided remote support and supplies like diapers and wipes. Many other programs are pivoting to address issues that are arising because of the shut down including mental health support for childcare providers and families as well as our Child Care Resource and Referral agency working with our essential personnel in finding quality child care. Operations have continued under the leadership of Dr. Lynn Clark, who will serve as Executive Director until April 10th. Since 2014, The Children’s Coalition has seen a rapid growth of services under the direction of Dr. Lynn Clark. During her tenure, the organization grew by more than 50 employees and nearly $5 million annually. Her innovation secured funding for federal and state programs including Early Head Start (ACF), Family Resource Center (DCFS), Child Care Resource and Referral (LDE), Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems (HRSA), Drug Free Communities (DHH). Under her leadership, she centralized programs into one-stop in a high-poverty area to seamlessly connect families to child care, parenting and basic needs This allowed 1,000+ children and families in first years and 120 homeless children and parents to be served. She also created unique early childhood natural play space and 30-bed edible garden that wraps around one-stop and feed 134 children in the Early Head Start program each week and expanded Farm to Preschool approach to include 20 child care centers in second year. Dr. Clark announced her departure intent in late 2019 and has recently accepted a position as the Executive Director for the Alabama Humanities Foundation in Birmingham, AL. Dr. Clark remained fully committed to serving the Children’s Coalition and has been pivotal thought the period of transition. In addition, the Board was afforded time to devise a succession plan and conduct an extensive search. The Children’s Coalition Board of Directors is pleased to announce the hiring of a new Executive Director, Leann Bond. With over 20 years of working in the nonprofit sector, Leann brings experience in fundraising, management and planning. She most recently served as a consultant for multiple non-profits and as the Director of Resource Development for The Arc Caddo-Bossier in Shreveport. She has been very active in Louisiana serving on boards, the Mayor’s Advisory Council for People with Disabilities, and a recipient of the PTA Life Service Award. Although this transition is happening during a time of uncertainty, the Children’s Coalition has continued to respond to community needs during the COVID-19 pandemic and will continue to serve children and families through this change in leadership. The Coalition began as a response to the 1997 President’s Summit for America’s Future in Philadelphia as Ret. General Colin Powell challenged Americans and communities to come together and make youth and children a top priority. In 1998, Northeast Louisiana began to organize their own efforts to focus on youth and adolescents, and later formally created the Children’s Coalition for Northeast Louisiana as a 501c3 membership based nonprofit. WWW.BAYOULIFEMAG.COM | MAY 2020 139