Last year the team at Lafayette Mom committed to learning about the effects of systematic racism and white privilege. We committed to amplifying the voices of moms of color in our local community. We began taking steps as an organization to effect lasting change in the city of Lafayette and in that regard, we started a new monthly blog series to lift up local organizations doing important work serving people of color in our area. Our hope was to highlight what is already being done and raise awareness as to how we as a community can support these organizations in their efforts. In case you missed the monthly spotlight series over the course of the last year, we have put all of the articles in one place for your convenience.
The mission of Boys and Girls Club Acadiana (BGCA) is to “Enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, and responsible citizens.” The Club provides a safe, affordable environment for kids in the community to engage with highly trained staff, a variety of quality programs and opportunities for a great future. Click HERE to learn more.
With Love, Acadiana is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization focused on serving the less fortunate population in Lafayette, LA, and the surrounding areas. With the support of community, they are able to offer regular meal services & necessities. Currently, they aim to serve about 100 friends downtown every Thursday evening at 5:00pm CST. Click HERE to learn more.
For more than 100 years,Big Brothers Big Sisters has operated under the belief that inherent in every child is the ability to succeed and thrive in life. As the nation’s largest donor and volunteer supported mentoring network, Big Brothers Big Sisters makes meaningful, monitored matches between adult volunteers (“Bigs”) and children (“Littles”), ages 6 through 18, in communities across the country. Click HERE to learn more.
Safehouse’s current project is to open Safehouse Sober Living, a Christ-centeredtransitional living home for those recovering from substance use disorders. Safehouse Sober Living uses a holistic, multifaceted approach to recovery. This approach, outlined by the acronym SAFE, provides resources, support, and accountability in these 4 areas: Sobriety, Activism, Financial Health, and Education. Click HERE to learn more.
Lafayette Habitat for Humanity builds homes in partnership with low-to-moderate income families who have the financial and personal capacity to be homeowners, but who can’t qualify for conventional financing. Habitat homeowners help build their own homes alongside volunteers and pay an affordable mortgage. Click HERE to learn more.
The Family Tree operates a center designed to enhance the quality of life for individuals and families over the course of their lives through education, counseling, and information \services. Our programs support parents and individuals through various stages of their lives that result in better mental health, coping skills, and stronger family systems. Click HERE to learn more.
McComb-Veazey Neighborhood Coterie is a deeply embedded, active leader of the neighborhood, supporting diverse efforts towards positive and equitable community development. Since its establishment, they have implemented projects across their cultural district including the rehab of the Community House, installing the Legacy Park on Magnolia and operating their Homegrowers Urban Farm. Click HERE to learn more.
100 Black Men of Greater Lafayette provides mentorship in a variety of ways to youths in hopes of developing, encouraging, and supporting positive life-long goals. Their program is based upon their National Campaign “Four for the Future” which identifies four key areas critical to achieving the 100’s commitment to developing leaders and ensuring the future of young African American males. Click HERE to learn more.
United Way of Acadiana works daily to rise to the growing changes and diverse needs of their growing population by targeting three basic areas: essentials, education and earnings. United Way of Acadiana focuses on Earnings with programs from free tax-prep to financial savings, education, and coaching. They focus on Essentials by providing basic needs and partnering with local organizations that reach the community in need. They focus on Education with goals that aim to see at least 90 percent of students graduate high school on time and United Way Readers who make a difference in early-grade literacy. Click HERE to learn more.
Progressive Baptist Church provides groceries biweekly through their foodnet program (on Wednesdays and Fridays, excluding the first week of every month), utility assistance, mortgage assistance, bus tickets, IDs, gas cards, clothing, and hotel stays. Click HERE to learn more.
