7/19/2022
Contribution brings amount raised to over $1M, of $5M first-year goal for youth services
NEW ORLEANS –Latter & Blum announced today a $500,000 contribution to fund investment in local youth services, as part of The NOLA Coalition’s pledge to raise five million per year, for three years, for a total of fifteen million invested in high-impact New Orleans nonprofits. The NOLA Coalition is a diverse group of over 275 nonprofit, civic, and business organizations, with the mission to “harness our collective resources to create a safer and more prosperous New Orleans for all residents.” The NOLA Coalition has a two-part, concurrent plan that combines Community Support for NOPD with Investment in Youth Services.
“I fully support The New Orleans Consortium. This contribution is an investment in the City, an investment in the future of Latter & Blum, and its agents. We are protecting lives, as well as livelihoods,” said Bob Merrick, Chairman, Latter & Blum. “The two-pronged approach of supporting public safety, and funding for at-risk youth, makes a lot of sense.”
The funds will be managed by United Way of Southeast Louisiana (UWSELA), and will be aligned with the City’s Youth Master Plan, (YMP) to help proven local youth-serving nonprofits grow their impact and drive generational change. Contributions will be awarded through a competitive RFP process, with eligible grantees being community-based nonprofits with a track-record of success. Results will be reported annually and publicly by UWSELA, New Orleans Children & Youth Planning Board, and YMP partners against defined metrics of the YMP and its leadership, which includes the Mayor’s Office of Youth and Families and the New Orleans Youth Alliance.
“As one of New Orleans’ most generous workplaces, it’s no surprise that Latter & Blum is the first to make a significant contribution to the NOLA Coalition and its investments in youth-serving programs,” said Dr. Takeisha Davis, United Way of Southeast Louisiana Board of Trustees Chair. “This generous gift is jumpstarting efforts to fundraise for the future of our young people and city, and we trust the broader giving community will follow suit.”
Private contributions to The NOLA Contribution fund are accepted and can be made online. More information on the $15M pledge for youth services, and The NOLA Coalition, can be found at NOLAcoalition.info.
“I commend Bob Merrick and Latter & Blum for their extraordinary leadership,” said Michael Hecht, GNO, Inc. President & CEO. “The NOLA Coalition is a diverse group, representing all of New Orleans, united by a love of our city and our children. This $500,000 investment in the NOLA Coalition’s vision will be catalytic for us as we work towards a safer and more prosperous New Orleans for all residents.”
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About The NOLA Coalition
The NOLA Coalition is a collection of local nonprofits, civic organizations and businesses with an acute interest in helping to address crime and quality of life, for reasons of both life and livelihood. The organizations in The NOLA Coalition are small and large, with diverse membership, from across the city and region. An updated list of recommendations and coalition members can be found at nolacoalition.info.