Children & Youth
OVERVIEW
We believe that early childhood education and robust options for safe, high-quality after-school experiences help our children stay healthy and grow into productive adults who are engaged with their communities.
Yet too many children in our community still begin school unprepared to learn, and many also find their options for enriching out-of-school-time programs limited. Often, access to these positive experiences and environments is determined by a family’s financial resources.
In response, we are working to increase the quality and accessibility of early learning experiences that help build the foundation for our children’s future success. We also support initiatives that strengthen and expand the after-school programs available to our youth, offering them activities that tap their personal interests, help build their relationships with peers and adults, and enrich their lives while helping them succeed in school.
OUR WORK
Our goals are to improve the education and development of youth. We do this by supporting programs that start children on the right track from the earliest possible age and those that increase meaningful learning opportunities and positive experiences for school-age youth during non-school hours.
We support innovation in this arena through:
IMPACT
Our program to create a resilient, sustainable and equitable region where people may achieve their full potential and where our unique culture may flourish. Read More >>
Stand Up for Our Children
The W.K. Kellogg Foundation is our partner in initiatives that advocate for policies and practices leading to a healthier start in life and better educational achievement for our children.
SNAPSHOTS
Vietnamese American Young Leaders Association (VAYLA), Executive Director, Minh Nguyen
Many Vietnamese American youth find themselves under immense pressure as they struggle to support their families. They are often translating for their families while attending school and taking on jobs. Read More >>
Thankfully, they have an organization where they can come together to find support and empowerment.
VAYLA began in 2006 when the youth came together with their elders to successfully shut down the Chef Menteur landfill. Most recently, VAYLA coordinated efforts to help those affected by the Gulf Coast oil spill.
“Young people have power and must be a part of the process in order for us to make change,” says Nguyen. “Our success comes from the leadership of our youth, who are setting a powerful example for others across our region and nation.”
Juvenile Justice Project of Louisiana
Dana Kaplan and Natalia Ventsko with the Juvenile Justice Project of Louisiana describe the brutal and inhumane conditions in Louisiana’s juvenile prisons, and the steps they are taking to decrease the number of youth incarcerated in the state’s prison system
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