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Our Impact

YOUTH INVESTMENTS

Every young person deserves the opportunity to thrive. United Way prioritizes high-quality out-of-school programming as a crucial component of our comprehensive approach to preparing every young person for success.

ORLEANS PARISH SUMMER IMPACT GRANTS

United Way of Southeast Louisiana is continuing its mission to enhance the number and quality of summer services available to children and youth in New Orleans, providing $100,000 in grant funding to 13 Orleans Parish nonprofits aligned with the New Orleans Youth Master Plan (YMP) and focused on serving young people of color, ages 11 to 24, living below the ALICE Threshold. Learn more about our 2023 Summer Impact Grants process.

ORLEANS PARISH SUMMER IMPACT GRANTS

United Way of Southeast Louisiana is continuing its mission to enhance the number and quality of summer services available to children and youth in New Orleans, providing $100,000 in grant funding to 13 Orleans Parish nonprofits aligned with the New Orleans Youth Master Plan (YMP) and focused on serving young people of color, ages 11 to 24, living below the ALICE Threshold. Learn more about our 2023 Summer Impact Grants process.

VIEW THE 2023 SUMMER IMPACT GRANTS PROCESS

REVIEW THE REPORT

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RECIPIENTS OF 2023 SUMMER IMPACT GRANTS

United Way of Southeast Louisiana (UWSELA) Tuesday announced the recipients of the 2023 Summer Impact Grants, continuing its mission to enhance the number and quality of summer services available to children and youth in New Orleans.

UWSELA is providing $100,000 in grant funding to 13 Orleans Parish nonprofits aligned with the New Orleans Youth Master Plan (YMP) and focused on serving young people of color, ages 11 to 24, living below the ALICE Threshold. Priority was given to small (budget under $500,000) BIPOC-led youth-serving organizations.

“The summer months are often the most challenging for our ALICE households as many of the supportive services youth receive during the school year are unavailable,” said Dr. Takeisha Davis, UWSELA Chairwoman. “Our Summer Impact Grants acknowledge and support the work of our community partners who share our commitment to young people and provide quality programming that helps close the gaps in summer learning loss and economic opportunity.”

Participants receive a 4:1 match on their savings:

United Way’s IDA Project is a matched savings account program helping low-income individuals purchase long-term assets.

The project was launched with support from United Way Worldwide, Entergy Corporation, Women United, and Capital One in 2006 and has helped make homeownership a reality for more than 200 families.

United Way’s IDA Project is designed to help low-income individuals and families save money through a matched savings program. United Way’s IDA Program is designed to meet the needs of a community that has long-standing high percentages of intergenerational poverty. We are addressing these needs by allowing participants to use their IDAs for the purchase of a new home, or vehicle, start a new or expand an existing small business, or pay for post-secondary education.

Participants make regular deposits to a special “Individual Development Account” [IDA], held at a local financial institution. When the savings goal is reached, United Way sends a check for the asset purchase to the closing agency, dealership, college or vendor.

THE FUNDED PROGRAMS INCLUDE

$100k to be distributed to 13 Orleans Parish youth-serving program providers

ABOUT FAMILY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Summer Social Set 2023: Life Kit

Cultivating Youth

Athletic Summer Camp

Electric Girls

2023 STEM Summer Camp

Eternal Seeds

2023 Summer Session

Faubourg St. Roch Improvement Association

RE(ad) TREAT

The Foundation For Science and Mathematics Education

STEP Up

Friends of New Orleans Public Library

NOPL Summer Fun and Reading Program

Jesus Project Ministries

Junior Student Training and Enrichment Next Level Leadership Workshop

Phoenix Communities of NOLA

Career & Arts Teen Camp

Trinity Community Center

Summer Leadership Development

YEAH! YOGA

Summer Youth Empowerment & Healing Program

The Youth Initiative

Youth Initiative

THE FUNDED PROGRAMS INCLUDE

The latest ALICE Report research indicates that 66% of youth (3-17 years old) in the city’s most vulnerable neighborhoods live in households that can’t afford a minimum household budget. These families struggle to cover basic costs and often cannot afford summertime enrichment activities for youth.

The various programs all provide services focused on one of the YMP’s key areas: Space & Place, Health & Well-being, Youth Voice, Learning, Safety & Justice, and Economic Stability. Successful implementation of the grants will help close the achievement gap, improve health outcomes, reduce crime, and scale summer programs in underserved neighborhoods.

“Sixty program providers in the city requested over half a million in funding through this grants process, further highlighting the urgent need to raise additional support for our summer programs and their participants,” said Michael Williamson, UWSELA President and CEO. “Thanks to our generous donors, these grants will make a meaningful contribution to the well-being of our youth this summer, but we need significant, sustained support to drive the transformational change our young people so desperately need.

” This summer marks the second year of the grant opportunity. In 2022, UWSELA and Baptist Community Ministries awarded grants to 37 nonprofits in Orleans Parish. The funding reached 3,519 young people through 10,981 program hours and helped participants get on track in school, improve their well-being, cultivate their interests, and prepare for post-secondary education and the workforce.

Individuals and businesses interested in funding future summer grant opportunities can contribute online at UnitedWaySELA.org/Donate by pledging a gift and adding “Summer Grants” to the contribution note.

2023 PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

Friends of the New Orleans Library

purchased supplies for hands-on programs, including Lego robotics, pasta making with Chef Maya, and science experiments for older teens.

About F.A.C.E. Youth

students worked with a licensed professional counselor who offered guidance to facilitators on how to steer post-role play discussions. Facilitator’s expertise enhanced the participants’ self-awareness and emotional insights.

RE(ad) Treat

Youth trained in program planning, management, and hard and soft skills to grow their ideas into businesses or nonprofits at RE(ad) Treat. Skills included creating and managing a budget, building spreadsheets, designing flyers, promoting events, and more.

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OUR PROGRAMS

United Way offers a variety of options for people to support their community, whether through donations, advocacy, corporate partnerships, or joining one of our groups.

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Helena Moreno

Campaign Email:  letsgo@helenamorenola.com
Contact Phone Number:  (504) 655-2878


Campaign Website and Social Media Handles
www.helenamorenola.com
@HelenamorenoHQ  |  @helenamorenola

Commitment: If elected, would you dedicate additional funding in the City budget for early care and education?

Yes.

If so, how would you prioritize it in the budget?

Both in the state legislature and city council, I’ve been a strong supporter of bringing early childhood education to New Orleans. In 2018, we allocated the first $1.5M in city funds for additional seats. As Council President, we doubled that to $3M. I was the lead author to put the pre-k millage on the ballot, providing millions more. I will continue this work as mayor. As for additional funding for pre-k, is there anything more important? We have demonstrated to the public that local government can make progress on this issue with increased resources. There are competing priorities, especially when it comes to drainage, but our kids desperately need pre-k, and so do our parents, who are under pressure to be both caregiver and financial provider.

Commitment:  If elected, will you use your power and platform to advocate at the state and federal levels for sustained early childhood funding? If yes, please describe the specific actions you will take to do this.

Yes.

Every leader at the local, state, and federal levels should be working together to provide high-quality early childhood education to our young people. I will always shout from the rooftops about the enormous benefits of Head Start and pre-k, along with Medicaid, SNAP, public housing, and kids’ programming on PBS. As mayor, I will lead a broad intergovernmental relations effort with constant coordination between city leadership, the legislative delegation, and advocates. I don’t think anyone is listening, for now, but that can change. More broadly, this is why the mayoral election is so important. New Orleans needs to stand on its own two feet. No one is coming to rescue us, so we must be strong in the face of unprecedented economic, environmental, and political headwinds.

Commitment: If elected, will you commit to ensuring our early care and education providers can keep their doors open, grow their business, pay a living wage to their teachers, and help ensure families and educators can continue to afford to live in the city? If yes, please describe the specific actions you will take to do this.

Yes.

Child care providers will have a strong supporter in the mayor’s office when I am elected. Our city hall will serve as a hub, connecting needs and resources, with a focus on streamlining red tape for critical service providers, such as those offering child care. It is not enough to have more early childhood seats; we need quality. Even at current levels of local and state funding, pre-K early education programs exist in an environment where low wages are the norm and facilities are often in disrepair. The current climate at the state and federal levels may preclude additional funds. Yet, at the local level, as I mentioned earlier, is there anything more important than pre-k? We have demonstrated to the public that local government can make progress on this issue with increased resources.

Commitment: If elected, would you commit to ensuring essential local workers – including those in city government – can access childcare through local providers, and that private sector employers do their part in ensuring their employees can access the childcare they need to work, be productive, and grow our economy? If yes, please elaborate on how you would fulfill this commitment.

Yes.

I will always advocate amongst employers and at the state level for a real-living wage that can provide for a family. In workplaces across New Orleans and at city hall, I see parents working double time, struggling to keep up due to a lack of child care. Part of the answer is more public school seats for children aged 6 months to 4 years old. For older kids, I want NORD to do more. A lot more. I have been a leader in expanding NORD’s budget to record highs. Now the goal is to maximize services during non-school hours. Summer enrichment is especially crucial to prevent any backslide. In short, I want to usher in a NORD Renaissance, especially after school. This would go a long way, especially for working parents who need a few more critical hours of support before they can leave work.

Commitment: If elected, will you commit to maintaining this office and protecting these investments?

Yes.

How will you ensure these efforts are sustained beyond your term and are prioritized in future budgets?

Yes. I helped lead the effort for early childhood education with Agenda for Children, and I will commit to maintaining and protecting these early childhood investments. They were hard won, and we cannot lose them. If anything, we need an expansion, which will be the key subject of future budgets, which must balance ALL the city’s needs. The bottom line: we must support families, or else they will simply leave, and New Orleans will not have a future.