SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA
2017-1 8
YOU Impact Lives in Our Community Every Day With your caring support, Volunteers of America Southeast Louisiana uplifted more than 54,000 persons in need during 2017-18. It was an inspiring year of new programs and fresh beginnings. In January, we changed our name to Volunteers of America Southeast Louisiana to reflect our 16-parish service area, which extends beyond metro New Orleans to Houma to the Northshore. We increased numbers of persons served by 2,000. Since the 19th century, Volunteers of America has worked locally to help children, adults, seniors and persons with disabilities. Our prudently managed programs focus on outcomes and results and address our most pressing human needs. We have many different kinds of Patrick, Frank, Travis, Rita and Missie (l to r) enjoy the impact programs—from adoption to protecting seniors that working at our Fresh Food Factor makes on the lives of to helping persons with disabilities—yet every students in our community. Patrick, Travis and Rita, consumers in our Community Living Services program, learn new skills and one promotes self-sufficiency, positive live independent lives while whipping up healthy and nutritious development or independence. meals for students. Our Veterans Transitional Housing program, which serves veterans who were homeless, focuses on self-sufficiency. We give veterans a safe place to stay and support to help them find stability, a job and home of their own. A former resident, James, now in a dependable job, moved into his own apartment last spring. He stops by the facility often to encourage others and bring job leads. Other programs foster Our prudently managed programs focus on outcomes independence. Examples are and results and address our most pressing human needs. Community Living Services and Supported Living Services for persons with disabilities. Our staff develops each person’s abilities and helps them live as independently as possible. Debbie’s story on page 3 shows how valuable this can be for persons with intellectual disabilities. Our Mentoring Children of Promise program encourages positive development. Last year, your support provided adult mentors for 163 children with an incarcerated parent. Nearly 70 percent of these children will end up in prison themselves—unless intervention occurs. Mentors provide that intervention for youngsters such as 10-year-old Rose, guided by her mentor Lakeidra, who is showing her a brighter future. Many other examples of how you have changed lives over the past year can be found in this Annual Report. Thank you for your gifts of money, volunteer hours and other kinds of support for Volunteers of America.