Everything Under The Sun: Filling In Safety Net Gaps

Friday, April 1, 2016

Filling In Safety Net Gaps

School supplies gathered at a table for distribution.

Many people might know areas of Louisiana from the mention in news stories about how the area has been affected by nature's disaster. My thoughts especially return to Hurricane Katrina in 2005, when this entire nation became aware of how easily an area in the midst of disaster could be abandoned by those in the business of government disaster relief.

In 2008 a piece of a local safety net was built in the form of OUTREACH SERVICES NORTH LOUISIANA, founded by Yolunda McGee, a woman with a big heart and experience with nonprofit family services. This organization fills much of the need that was neglected for days back in 2005, providing assistance to those who have lost their homes through natural disasters or have hit a period of financial hardship. Serving the Shreveport-Bossier City area of Northern Louisiana, this organization focuses on providing assistance to families with low to moderate incomes.

According to Ms. McGee, the goal of Outreach Services is to "provide a service to individuals truly in need and [give] them resources that will make them stronger individuals to become better parents and citizens." The organization has developed partnerships with a local high school, a temporary housing shelter, and a mental health program.

Families in need can contact Virginia Donie, the volunteer coordinator, and they can fill out the application that she provides. The family is contacted after the application has been reviewed for approval. In order to assist families with completing that application, Outreach Services provides yearly Family Workshops.

Some of the programs and services provided by Outreach Services include educational resource tools, through which school supplies are provided; temporary emergency resources, which are particularly useful for families that have just experienced a fire, natural disaster, or sudden financial hardship; an anti-bullying initiative for students in middle grades and high school; summer enrichment activities for children age 4 to age 18; and financial planning initiatives, which provide financial education workshops four times each year along with health care services and workshops. Partnerships with various organizations add to the services that are offered.

Sometimes a caravan of help is needed to help a family with home repairs.

One could say that Outreach Services North Louisiana has filled the need for support services within its service area. Because of this group, the safety net available to people in need has gotten larger and fills in the gaps that were revealed during a disaster more than ten years ago. And that's a good thing!