Gardere Initiative Inc

TO ADDRESS SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND OTHER SOCIAL ILLS IN THE GARDERE AREA THAT ADVERSELY AFFECT THE CHILDREN, NEIGHBORING SUBDIVISIONS AND THE CITY IN GENERAL THROUGH COLLABORATION, PARTNERSHIP AND SPIRITUAL INTERVENTION

43 YOUTH EMPLOYED. WE PROVIDE A 9-MONTH AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM, 8-WEEKS SUMMER PROGRAM AND ACTIVITIES FOR MAJOR HOLIDAYS WHEN CHILDREN ARE OUT OF SCHOOL. WITHIN THE PAST YEAR WE DEVELOPED PARTNERSHIPS WITH ___ ORGANIZATIONS, EXTENDING THE OPPORTUNITY FOR ______ - YOUTH ARE EXPOSED TO COLLEGE EXPERIENCE WHILE EXPERIENCING THE GIFT OF MENTORSHIP WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT PROFESSIONALS. COLLABORATED WITH THE BIG BUDDY PROGRAM TO HOST AN 8-WEEK SUMMER PROGRAM THAT PROVIDED EMPLOYMENT FOR 26 MIDDLE & HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND SWIM LESSONS FOR 80 PARTICIPANTS * RECOGNIZED BY TOGETHER BATON ROUGE AS THE BEST MODEL TO ADDRESS VIOLENCE * MEAL SERVED AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM (7,680)SUMMER PROGRAM (7,680)LYFE (320)HOLIDAY PROGRAMS (1,540) ANNUAL EVENTS (1,000)PARTNER EVENTS: 5,000 **CONNECTING YOUTH TO CARING ADULTS : -2552 HOURS SERVED SERVICE HOURS (CONNECTING YOUTH TO CARING ADULTS). STUDENTS ARE LSU AND SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY AS WELL AS COMMUNITY ADULTS INTERACT WITH OUR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS DURING THE 9-MONTH AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM AND 8-WEEK SUMMER PROGRAM. 540 HOURS/WEEK EX MEALS SERVED -: MEALS SERVED (DAYS OF ALL HOLIDAY PROGRAMS) WE PROVIDE A SUBSTANTIAL SNACK DURING THE AFTERSCHOOL AND HOLIDAY PROGRAMS. BREAKFAST AND LUNCH ARE PROVIDED DURING THE 8-WEEK SUMMER PROGRAM.

TRANSPORTATION - * ANNUAL COMMUNITY MEETING AT APOSENTO ALTO WITH REPRESENTATION FROM EBR SHERIFF'S OFFICE, DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, CRIME STOPPERS, EBR SCHOOL DISTRICT. ON THE OTHER HAND, PLAY, CREATIVE AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES STIMULATE BRAIN CONNECTIONS AND, HENCE, ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE. WE CANNOT MEASURE THESE EFFECTS, BUT WE KNOW THAT PROVIDING SAFE AND HEALTHY EXPERIENCES FOR CHILDREN REDUCES THE NEGATIVE IMPACT OF LIVING IN A DENSELY POPULATED ENVIRONMENT SUCH AS THE GARDERE COMMUNITY. OUR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL YOUTHS WORKED DURING OUR 8-WEEK SUMMER PROGRAM AND RETAINING THEIR ENGAGEMENT ASSURES CONTINUED LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT AND A COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT. ALSO, THE WORK TEACHES BASIC WORK SKILLS THAT INCLUDE PUNCTUALITY, TEAMWORK, RESPECT FOR SUPERVISION, RESPONSIBILITY AMONG OTHERS. TRANSPORTATION IS A MAJOR BARRIER FOR OUR YOUTH TO GAIN WORK EXPERIENCE OTHER THAN THE OPPORTUNITIES.

* OFFERS AFTER-SCHOOL TUTORING TO APPROXIMATELY 25 STUDENTS, M-TH, 3:30-6PM, DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR WITH QUALIFIED MATH TEACHERS, STUDENT VOLUNTEERS FROM SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY AND LSU, AND OTHER VOLUNTEERS FROM THE BATON ROUGE AREA. * SERVING OVER 100 CHILDREN AND YOUTH DURING THE THREE-DAY EBR SPRING BREAK WITH FRONT YARD BIKES, FULL DISPLAY OF EBRSO'S EQUIPMENT INCLUDING HELICOPTER, APRIL 2-4) * TREATED 20 CHILDREN DURING EBR FALL BREAK WITH SKATING AND BOWLING AT MT. PILGRIM BAPTIST CHURCH. * SERVED 100 CHILDREN/YOUTH DURING TWO-DAY THANKSGIVING BREAK WITH FRONTYARD BIKES AND DEA'S CHASING THE DRAGON MOVIE. * MLK CELEBRATION WITH PRESENTATION FROM PHYSICIANS "PULSE3 OF PERSEVERANCE", HANGING "BE RESPECTFUL" SIGNS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY. * GRAND OPENING OF THE $350,000 RENOVATED GARDERE LANE HARTLEY-VEY PARK, AUGUST * DR. BROUSSARD'S LSU PUBLIC RELATIONS CLASS PROJECTS (SPRING & FALL SEMESTERS) THAT INCLUDED A RENOVATION OF THE GARDERE SITE IN THE SPRING AND A COMMUNITY DAY IN THE PARK, NOVEMBER 16 WITH 65 PARTICIPANTS. * ST. JOHN'S METHODIST CHURCH BECOMES A GARDERE INITIATIVE STAKEHOLDER AND HOSTED SAMHSA VISIT. * ANNUAL COMMUNITY MEETING AT APOSENTO ALTO WITH REPRESENTATION FROM EBR SHERIFF'S OFFICE, DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, CRIME STOPPERS, EBR SCHOOL DISTRICT * FRONTYARD BIKES RECEIVES FUNDING TO ESTABLISH SITE AT GARDERE'S HARTLEY-VEY PARK, TUESDAYS & THURSDAY, 3:30-5:30, BEGINNING, JANUARY 22, * ESTABLISHED AS A VISTA SITE WITH ENGLISH & SPANISH-SPEAKING VOLUNTEER POSITIONS AND HIRING 9 SUMMER ASSOCIATES * COLLABORATED WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE TO HIRE 10 YOUTHS FOR THE SUMMER PROGRAM * COLLABORATED WITH EBR SHERIFF'S OFFICE TO HOST THE 12TH ANNUAL TRICK OR TREATING WITH THE DEPUTIES

INCREASING PHYSICAL ACTIVITY/SAFE ACCESS TO OUTDOORS: AMOUNT SAVED ON CHILDCARE FOR FAMILIES: (10$/HR): CHILDREN FROM 3 YEARS AND UP ATTEND OUR SEVERAL PROGRAMS ENSURING PARENTS THAT THEIR CHILDREN ARE IN A HEALTHY AND SAFE ENVIRONMENT. RESOURCE REFERRALS: THROUGHOUT YEAR, ESTIMATE: IMMIGRANTS MOVING INTO THE COMMUNITY USE OUR SERVICES TO NAVIGATE THE COURT, SOCIAL SERVICE, SCHOOL SYSTEMES AND OTHERS AS NEEDED. HELPING FAMILIES GET KIDS INTO SCHOOLS: LANGUAGE IS A BARRIER IN OUR COMMUNITY. WITH THE CAPABILITY OF OUR SPANISH-SPEAKING STAFF, WE ASSIST NEWLY ARRIVED FAMILIES TO ENROLL THEIR CHILDREN IN THE EBRPSS. OUR STAFF, MARTHA ESPINOZA WAS RECENTLY CERTIFIED VIA EBRPSS TO BE A REGISTERED TRANSLATOR ***HELPING ADULTS WITH FINANCIAL LITERACY HELPING ADULTS WITH FINANCIAL LITERACY . FUNDING FROM THE WILSON FOUNDATION HELPS US TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL LITERACY AND SUPPORT FOR EMERGENCIALS TO ASSET LIMITED, INCOME-CONSTRAINED, EMPLOYED FAMILIES TO GAIN STABLE INCOMES.S BACK TO SCHOOL EXTRAVAGANZA (AUGUST 6) - 4EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH FALL BREAK (OCTOBER 11) - 4THANKSGIVING BREAK (NOVEMBER 21-22) - 8CHRISTMAS/NEW YEAR'S BREAK (DECEMBER 19-20 & 28-29) - 16MLK DAY (JANUARY 16) - 4MARDI GRAS (FEBRUARY 20) - 4EBR SPRING BREAK (APRIL 10-12) - 8AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM (AUGUST-MAY, M-TH, 3-6) - 384SUMMER PROGRAM (JUNE-JULY, M-TH, 9-3) - 96MONTHLY GYC MEETINGS (SEPT-APRIL, 6:30-8:30) - 24