Nov2018

December 12, 2018

Eden House

Eden House is a movement to eradicate the trafficking and selling of human beings

At 55 years old, Cindy has been in and out of abusive relationships for much of her life and led her to drug addiction, cutting, and suicide attempts. Fortunately, she found a safe haven at Eden House where she shares a room with Michelle, 21, who fell in with the wrong crowd as a teenager and ended up living a difficult life on the streets. On the surface, it may seem that Cindy and Michelle don’t have much in common but what unites them is their history of human trafficking and the trauma that has resulted from it. Both of them have come to Eden House New Orleans to find a safe place to recover and find the path to a new life filled with hope.

Eden House is dedicated to eradicating human trafficking or as it is sometimes called, modern-day slavery. We create systemic change through: youth prevention, education and legislative advocacy, and recovery and reentry services for victims- including long-term shelter. Our work with victims and survivors of human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation is guided by the principle that “Love Heals.” We believe that treating people, especially women who have histories of complex trauma, with kindness and respect is incredibly powerful and will facilitate recovery.

During their residence at Eden House, victims receive all the resources they need to recover, including, but not limited to: individual and group therapy, legal assistance, access to education, health care, and financial planning, a job in our social enterprise Especially Eden, and the opportunity to share their story through our prevention program R.E.A.L. Choices. Since we first opened our doors in October 2012, we have served 53 women directly and assisted more than 250 women with referrals and information. Our counselors and survivor leaders have educated almost 500 young women and at-risk girls through programs we offer to youth shelters, foster care agencies, juvenile justice, and high schools, and Especially Eden offers socially conscious and Louisiana sourced gift baskets for the community, while providing paid employment, job skills and work experience to survivors.

To learn more about Eden House, please go to: www.edenhousenola.org

To order a holiday gift basket assembled by an Eden House resident, please go to: www.edenhousenola.org/especiallyeden.html

December 12, 2018

Louisiana Fosters – QPI

Jennifer Rodriguez

Advocate for QPI

In my work as a national advocate as the director of the Youth Law Center, I’ve had the chance to be involved in all kinds of reform for children in foster care across the country- changes that support the chances children will have better educational, health, well-being and life outcomes. My deep personal desire for change comes from spending my childhood years growing up in foster care facilities where I felt like no more than a hopeless list of the worst things I did on the worst days I ever had. I experienced the immediate and long term consequences of feeling unloved and like I belonged nowhere. I know I am statistically incredibly lucky to have had the opportunities that allowed me to change my life trajectory and follow my dreams to become a leader, lawyer, and mother.

My personal and professional experiences leave me with no doubt that a literal revolution is needed in foster care. We need a totally new approach that honors children’s humanity, beauty and potential and focuses on what is most important for their success- the daily love and parenting they need. I am so grateful to be witnessing Louisiana leading this revolutionary transformation through our Quality Parenting Initiative (QPI). QPI is based on the principle that that loving and nurturing parenting is the most important intervention for children and youth in foster care. It also calls for us to align all of our child welfare work and values to support the relationships between children and those responsible for their happiness and care.

With the vision, commitment, and leadership of Gov. John Bel Edwards and First Lady Donna Edwards, Secretary Marketa Walters, Assistant Secretary Hodnett and her leadership team, we are seeing results here that are transformational. The practice, policy and cultural changes underway in Louisiana to re-orient child welfare to ensure the people that love and care most for children, birth and foster parents, are connected and parenting in partnership are inspiring new excitement and hope for how we can care for children and families across our nation.

These QPI changes don’t just make life better for children and families. I think Kayla; a caseworker from Jefferson Parish says it best: “Before QPI was introduced to us, we really didn’t have that type of relationship and connection going on between birth parents, foster parents and the staff. Sometimes in this work, we feel like, “I can’t do this”, but now we know that the birth parents are on board with trying to work with the foster parents. And the foster parents are on board…it’s just amazing. And clerical is on board, the CI worker is on board…everyone in the office is on board, even the security guard. It’s just awesome.”

When we focus on a relationship based child welfare system, caseworkers have more connections and all stakeholders are able to do the meaningful work they came into child welfare to do. While transformation is necessarily a continuous effort and there is much more to work on, we are proving that it is possible and giving the country a model of what a community full of big hearts, creative minds, and courageous spirits can accomplish in partnership.

For more information about Louisiana Fosters, including a list of resources available for foster parents, visit www.LouisianaFosters.la.gov.

December 12, 2018

Evenings at the Mansion

This year we held the fourth annual Evening at the Mansion, a fundraiser for the Mansion Preservation Foundation, which helps maintain the beauty and history of the incredible home that belongs to the people of Louisiana. In keeping with our themed celebrations, this year, we celebrated New Orleans 300th anniversary. The evening began with a true New Orleans dinner provided by award winning chef Troy McPhail of Commander’s Palace. It was truly unforgettable, and we’re grateful to Chef McPhail and his fantastic team for giving us all a meal to remember. The night culminated with a special performance by New Orleans’ very own, John Boutte and the John Boutte Trio. What a performance! The audience was treated to a fantastic mix of traditional jazz tunes along with some of our favorite Christmas carols. Both of these talented artists are incredibly gifted and we are grateful to both of them for bringing a little New Orleans to the Governor’s Mansion.

The evening was recorded by Louisiana Public Broadcasting (LPB). The program will air statewide on December 25 at 9:30 p.m. and again on December 28 at 8:30 p.m.

To learn more about past Evening at the Mansion special events visit GovernorsMansion.org

SEE THE PHOTOS

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Mrs. Gayle Benson joins The Governor and First Lady in a toast to the installation of the beautiful chandelier in the Rotunda

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Chef Tory McPhail and members of the Commander’s Palace staff explain the outstanding 5 course meal served

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Roger Ogden, benefactor and dear friend to John Bel and Donna Edwards, gives a wonderful talk about the 300th Anniversary of New Orleans

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The Governor and First Lady thank all of the benefactors and attendees

MEET THE ARTISTS

Tory McPhail

Executive Chef, Commander’s Palace

Tory McPhail has followed a path forged from hard work to arrive at the historic Commander’s Palace restaurant’s storied chef legacy, which has cultivated the likes of Emeril Lagasse, Paul Prudhomme, and Jamie Shannon.

McPhail hails from Ferndale, WA, a small town near the Canadian border, where he learned to appreciate local goods and the comfortable gathering place of his parents’ kitchen. Corn planted in the spring would become dinner in the summer; fish caught in the afternoon from his family’s stocked pond would make it to the plate by dusk. “I knew food didn’t just come from the grocery store and magically appear there,” he says. “Being able to watch it all grow gave me a passion for natural foods.”

After high school, McPhail attended Seattle Community College and received an ACF-accredited degree in culinary science. Compelled by New Orlean’s history, soul, and Mardi Gras celebrations won him over, he moved upon graduation and at just 19, he was hired by Commander’s Palace Executive Chef Jamie Shannon. He worked diligently through all 12 stations of the kitchen, honing his craft and making a positive impression on his boss.

In search of “as much experience as possible, as quickly as possible,” McPhail later completed a series of stints at several culinary hot spots, including the Breakers Hotel in Palm Beach, FL; the Michelin-starred L’Escargot in London and its sister restaurant, the Michelin two- star Picasso Room; and the Caribbean/Creole-intensive Mongoose Restaurant in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

In spring of 2000, McPhail returned to the Commander’s family as executive sous chef at Commander’s Palace Las Vegas. Though he loved his job there, New Orleans and Chef Shannon beckoned, and he returned to the Big Easy where the Brennan family named him executive chef of the original Commander’s Palace in January 2002.

Today, McPhail continues his dedication to creating and sustaining strong relationships with local purveyors, as well as executing exciting dishes in the Commander’s kitchen. “I’m always thinking very forward when it comes to Creole food,” he says. A passionate and resolute chef who pursues culinary perfection, McPhail delights in exploring a variety of flavors in his seasonal menus—embracing Creole traditions while updating classic dishes with fresh, local ingredients. His Creole Seared Gulf Fish, for example, showcases farm-fresh produce like Spring Mushrooms, Corn, Fingerling Potatoes and seared Speckled Trout.

McPhail’s masterful work has not only kept Commander’s Palace at the top of critics’ lists, but has also led him to numerous TV appearances, including Bravo’s “Top Chef,” on which he was a guest judge along-side Commander’s Co-Proprietor Ti Adelaide Martin; NBC’s “Today”; CBS’s “Early Show”; “Paula’s Party” with Paula Dean; “After Hours With Daniel Boulud”; and numerous Food Network programs, including “Sara’s Secrets,” “My Country, My Kitchen,” “Into the Fire,” and “Bobby Flay’s Food Nation.” Tory also co-hosted “Off the Menu,” which aired on Turner South Network for six years.

A James Beard Rising Star Chef and Best Chef South winner, McPhail was also named one of the best chefs in the country by TheDailyMeal.com in 2013, as one of Saveur magazine’s inaugural “Tastemaker Chefs” in 2012; awarded the winner of the Great American Seafood Cook-Off in 2009; co-authored Commander’s Wild Side with Martin, a collection of recipes taken from the legendary restaurant’s kitchen; has served on the Nutrition Advisory Board for Cooking Light magazine; launched his own sauce line, and has been a spokesperson for Wild American Shrimp and for McCormick’s Old Bay seasoning.

Select Honors and Awards:
The Jamie Shannon Outstanding Chef Award (2018)
Restaurant of the Year Nola.com | The Times-Picayune (2018)
Food and Wine’s 40 Most Important Restaurants (2018)
Southern Living’s The South’s Best Restaurant (2017)
James Beard Foundation Best Chef: South (2013)
The Daily Meal’s Best Chefs in America (2013)
Great American Seafood Cookoff winner (2009)

John Boutte

New Orleans Jazz Vocalist

On Sundays as the red beans were soaking for Monday’s dinner, John Boutte was awakened by the sounds of his New Orleans neighborhood. Voices carried over the fence from the church behind his home in the Seventh Ward, the home where he grew up, where most of his Creole family still lives and sings. Past the front yard, second-line parades rolled by, matching the madness of Carnival season and the transcendent joy of the jazz funeral. This roux of influences created John Boutte, and serves him to this day.

During his school days John played coronet and trumpet, those clarions of life in New Orleans, in his junior high and high school marching bands; he was a section leader, no less, in a town where marching bands duel like decked-out demons in the street. School also gave John the chance to sing, first at talent shows and then with street a capella groups, groups named — listen — “Spirit” and then “Remnant.” Linger for a moment on those names, and then let them resonate an instant longer, street bands singing on the bricks of a town where “street singer” is still a respectable job title.Take another moment and stir in the spices of the music that was on the turntables of his older brothers and sisters, the music that ruled the street and raised the spirits: Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye, the Jackson 5 and Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway. During these years traditional jazzmen like Paul Babarin, Louis “Big Eye” Nelson and Danny Barker became both John’s friends and mentors. John’s sister, Lillian Boutte, introduces the young stylist to local legends like Dr. John, Allen Toussaint and James Booker.

After high school, John studied at Xavier University, a black Catholic institution known in New Orleans and indeed the entire Deep South. After graduating John was commissioned as officer in the U. S. Army, and provided with the opportunity to direct and sing in the Army gospel choirs in Virginia, Texas and, eventually, Korea. It was in Korea, ironically, when sinqing gospel and deep, deep blues after hours in restaurants he’d only accidentally entered, that he began to know himself as an American, an artist and a person. Not long after his return to the States, John was invited to tour almost the entirety of Europe with his sister Lillian. Europe was a set of lessons in languages and cultures and customs, which gave John a chance to meditate on the very idea of a life led as a jazz singer.

When John eventually got back home to New Orleans he continued singing. But now there was a new generation, a new breed of musicians available; musicians like Herlin Riley, Shannon Powell, Nicholas Payton and Bryan Blade. He began to open shows for the likes of Mel Torme, Lou Rawls, Rosemary Clooney and, most recently, Herbie Hancock. In recent times he has recorded three CD’s. Through the Eyes of A Child , Scotch and Soda, and the remarkable Jambalaya, recorded for Bose. Yet another CD entitled Gospel United, a concert recording arranged in Denmark, contains his remarkable solo arrangement of “The Battle Hymn of the Republic”, which has achieved Gold Record status in several European markets.

Sometimes you can hear him singing, sometimes whistling, or sometimes you can hear him faintly from the street as he sits at his piano singing a Korean lullaby. John’s job is to sing — to sing jazz, to sing it with such style and grace that no one ever mistakes him for anything other than a master. John is one of those remarkable cases where the art arises from the true heart. To know John is to hold onto the coattails of a butterfly. To hear him sing is to feel a brief touch of the wing.

December 12, 2018

300th Anniversary of New Orleans

LET\’S CELEBRATE!

300th Anniversary of
New Orleans

The 300th Anniversary of New Orleans marked not only where New Orleans has been, but also helped set the course for where we are going. The city is working on becoming safer, improving schools and strengthening our economy—but we still have work to do in building a bridge to the next 300 years. We are building a new airport, redeveloping our storied riverfront, and creating a 21st-century medical corridor. These efforts, among many others, are creating a pathway to prosperity for all the citizens of New Orleans and securing for the future a NEW New Orleans—where everyone individually does well and, as a result, we as a community do well.

To celebrate 300 years of rich history, diversity, cultural traditions and resilience, the City of New Orleans hosted special events, concerts, fireworks and a visit by the Royal Household of the Kingdom of Spain whom the Governor and First Lady of Louisiana greeted. For the past 300 years, this port city has received people from around the world seeking new lives and prospects. The French influence is prominent from the founding of the City in 1718 until the present day. There is also a strong Spanish cultural inheritance due to Spanish rule of the city in the 18th century. Throughout the entire history of the city, African- Americans have influenced the culture and economy of New Orleans. Additionally, immigrants have come from Ireland, Italy, Germany, Greece, Vietnam and many more nations. Within New Orleans, Native American, Cajun and Creole peoples have had a profound impact on our culture. Today, we owe many of our celebrations to this diverse heritage including Mardi Gras, the 135 yearly festivals including more than 35 Second Line parades.

Although New Orleans has maintained many of its cultural traditions much has changed. Our citizens are resilient having endured both manmade and natural disasters, the most recent of which was Hurricane Katrina in 2005. It was a tragedy the City of New Orleans will never forget. But because of the support from around the world and the resilience of our people, the city has been rebuilt better than it was before the storm, and we are now creating the city we always dreamed we could be.

The amazing people of Louisiana came together to commemorate 300 years of passion, love, heartaches, disparity, challenges, resilience, victories and a commitment to do better for all.

On behalf of the 2018 NOLA Foundation, a special thank you to all the sponsors, presenting organizations, neighborhoods, staff, volunteers, visitors, the 2018 Tricentennial Commission and its committee chairs.

Finally, thank you to the people of New Orleans and the great state of Louisiana for your support of the 2018 commemoration.

-Mark Romig, President/CEO of the 2018 NOLA Foundation

November 12, 2018

Featured Recipe: Crockpot Dressing

First Lady’s

Thanksgiving Dressing Recipe

Ingredients:

1 ½ cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
¼ cup oil
1 tbsp. salt
1 tbsp. sage
1 tsp. poultry seasoning
2 cups white bread (day old)
6 cups sweet corn bread
2 cans cream of chicken soup
2 cans chicken broth (broth from stewed chicken can be used)
3 eggs
1 tbsp. vinegar
3 chicken breasts, stewed until done

Directions:

Cook onion and celery until tender in the oil.

Add sage, poultry seasoning and salt.

Combine white bread and sweet cornbread into large mixing bowl.

Stir onion mixture into bread mixture.

In a separate bowl combine soup, broth, eggs and vinegar.

Stir mixture gently.

Combine mixture with other ingredients and mix well.

Pour into crockpot and cook on high for 30 minutes.

Turn down heat to low and cook for 3-4 hours.

Add broken pieces of chicken to crockpot for the last hour.

November 12, 2018

Governor’s Mansion Preservation Foundation

GOVERNOR\'S MANSION PRESERVATION FOUNDATION

The Louisiana Governor’s Mansion belongs to the people of our great state and Gov. Edwards and First Lady Donna Edwards are honored to call it home and help preserve its history for those who visit. Built in 1963 by former Gov. Jimmie Davis, the mansion is located in Baton Rouge on Capitol Lake near the State Capitol. It’s designed in the Greek Revival style, which was the dominant style in Louisiana after 1830.

The Governor\’s Mansion Preservation Foundation was started by former First Lady Alice Foster who wanted her legacy to be restoring the mansion into the beauty it deserved. First Lady Edwards committed to carrying on Mrs. Foster’s vision when she learned that the mansion was in need of maintenance. She re-established the non-profit Foundation and an executive board was created to raise the funds to preserve its history and architecture.

The Foundation uses a variety of events to help support the mansion, and the holiday season is one of the favorite times of the year at the Mansion. Every year a new Christmas ornament is unveiled, and this year’s ornament celebrates New Orleans’ 300th Anniversary. There are now 14 official ornaments in the collection, all of which are available for purchase through the Foundation.

The Annual Evening at The Mansion Gala is held each holiday season. Tickets are available for this magical night that celebrates the state’s famous cuisine with a spectacular meal catered by a Louisiana celebrity chef, and the evening is capped off by one of Louisiana’s famed musical performers.

Engraved bricks are available to be placed on the grounds of the mansion to honor family and friends. In addition, First Lady Edwards has designed a beautiful set of state china that was purchased by private individuals and donated to the Governor’s Mansion collection. This historical set contains a design of 18 fleur de lis on the coffee cup representing Louisiana’s place as the 18th state and 64 fleur de lis on the dinner plate representing Louisiana’s 64 parishes. The set was created in a beautiful state blue and gold pattern.

All of these items can be seen and purchased through the governor’s mansion website www.governorsmansion.org or by calling the Executive Director of the foundation, Sandy McClelland at 337-578-4063 or by email gmpfinc@gmail.com.

November 12, 2018

Anti-Human Trafficking

LFF Anti-Human Trafficking P&A Features

Trafficking is the fastest growing and second largest criminal industry in the United States and in Louisiana alone, over the last several years thousands of victims have been identified as either confirmed or prospective victims of human sex or labor trafficking.

HUMAN TRAFFICKING PSA

Donna Edwards speaks about the state-wide public awareness education campaign to combat human trafficking.

WATCH VIDEO

Map Of Contacts (Compendium of State Run Initiatives)

Global Human Trafficking Summits (archived)

Online Resources

Download Human Trafficking pamphlet

SWLA Human Trafficking Institute

October 2023

Dept. of Health and LSUHSC Help Therapists Deliver Therapy to Youth

September 2023

Diversity Equity Inclusion Access

August 2023

The Free Coalition to End Human Trafficking in Louisiana

July 2023

Hurricane Preparedness and Human Trafficking Prevention

June 2023

Labor Trafficking and Summer Youth Employment

May 2023

The Free Coalition to End Human Trafficking in Louisiana

April 2023

LACAC Partnership

March 2023

Greater New Orleans Human Trafficking Task Force

February 2023

National Human Trafficking Awareness Day

January 2023

Human Trafficking Training

December 2022

Justice For Survivors Act

November 2022

2022 Global Human Sex Trafficking Prevention and Awareness Summit

October 2022

Registration Open for 2022 Summit

September 2022

Increasing Awareness in Hospitality Industry

August 2022

Louisiana Expanding Collaboration

July 2022

Santa Marta Group

June 2022

Geaux Bags

May 2022

NCPHST Inaugural Event

April 2022

Cyntoia Brown Long

March 2022

The Invisible Victim

February 2022

Human Trafficking Prevention Month Activities

January 2022

Grant Awarded - Louisiana Governor's Office of Human Trafficking Prevention

December 2021

NCPHST

November 2021

Global Human Trafficking Summit - Texas

October 2021

The Office of Human Trafficking Prevention

August 2021

BBQ & Gumbo: Interstate Collaboration

July 2021

'Tis the Season for Training

June 2021

3rd Global Human Trafficking Summit - Maryland

May 2021

Mayrland to Present 2021 Summit

April 2021

Human Trafficking Summit - Maryland

March 2021

Texas to Present 2021 Summit

February 2021

Human Trafficking Global Summit 2021

January 2021

Texas to Present 2021 Summit

December 2020

Operation Rahab

November 2020

Virtual Summit 2020

October 2020

Empower 225

September 2020

Written by Dr. Dana Hunter

August 2020

Human Trafficking and the Effects of COVID-19

July 2020

Covenant House: Reflections From Jim

June 2020

Gingerbread House Children's Advocacy Center

May 2020

Free NOLA, Inc.

April 2020

The St. Landry Evangeline Anti-human Trafficking (SLEAT) Taskforce

March 2020

NAWJ 2020 Mid-Year Conference

February 2020

Words from Michelle Johnson

January 2020

FreeNOLA, Inc.

Words from Diane L. Amos // December 2019

The Louisiana Alliance of Children’s Advocacy Centers

November 2019

Words from Dr. Dana Hunter

October 2019

Poem by Megan

September 2019

Words from Casey L. Morace

August 2019

Words from Dawn Buquet

July 2019

Words from Cassie Hammett, Founder & Executive Director The Hub: urban ministries

June 2019

Words from Arnel W. Cosey, Ph.D.

May 2019

Words from Angela Bazile, Louisiana Human Trafficking Prevention Commission

April 2019

Words from Dana Hunter

March 2019

Words from ATC Commissioner Juana Lombard

February 2019

Words from Sister Norma of Metanoia Manor

January 2019

Eden House is a movement to eradicate the trafficking and selling of human beings

December 2018

Words from Senator Ronnie Johns about Metanoia Manor

November 2018

Click here to order prayer cards from the Marianite Sisters

METANOIA MANOR

Metanoia is a word of ancient Greek origin meaning the journey of changing one’s mind, heart and self or way of life. Metanoia is also a safe haven in Louisiana for victims of sex trafficking, a secure place where caring adults help survivors heal emotionally, physically, and spiritually.

Trafficking is the fastest growing and second largest criminal industry in the United States and in Louisiana alone, over the last several years thousands of victims have been identified as either confirmed or prospective victims of human sex or labor trafficking. The Texas-to-Florida corridor is a major route for this heinous crime. The average age of victims is 13 and they come from every walk of life – some are abducted while others are lured by traffickers. All of these victims are in need of a safe place to recover and rebuild. Metanoia grew as a response to this epidemic.

Gov. John Bel Edwards and First Lady Donna Edwards are very passionate about the prevention of human trafficking, also referred to as modern day slavery. They have traveled to Rome to meet with church and government officials about working together on a global scale to end this terrible crime and are proud to have helped open Metanoia in 2017.

Blessed with a dedicated staff who works tirelessly to meet the needs of the survivors, through hard work, faith, education, devotion and love, Metanoia provides a means to help them rebuild their lives and transition into productive members of society who will not be defined by the past.

To learn more please visit http://metanoia-inc.org

November 12, 2018

Louisiana Fosters – 2nd Annual Event

Second Annual Louisiana Fosters Event

September 21, 2018

Expanding the network of community and faith-based supports for foster parents was the focus of the second annual Louisiana Fosters event, hosted Sept. 21 at the Governor\’s Mansion by First Lady Donna Edwards and the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS).

The summit featured guest speaker Jennifer Rodriguez, executive director of the Youth Law Center, and a panel discussion on community and faith-based partnerships with the state\’s foster care system.

\”It\’s exciting to see how Louisiana Fosters has progressed since last year\’s launch, growing from a hope and a challenge to a thriving community of Louisianans with arms stretched wide around our state\’s foster parents and the children in their care,\” Edwards said. \”These are Louisiana\’s children — our children — and we must do everything we can to ensure their future.\”

Louisiana Fosters is a statewide network linking government, faith, nonprofit, business and service communities in support of foster parents and children. Since Edwards launched the initiative in August 2017, dozens of nonprofits and faith-based groups, large and small, across the state have stepped in to provide the kinds of resources foster parents need to ensure stability and guidance for the children and youth in their care.

\”There\’s still a lot of room at the table and many more foster families and children to help,\” Edwards said. \”We\’re hoping to encourage more partnerships in every region of the state.\”

The Louisiana Fosters network builds upon DCFS\’s implementation of the Quality Parenting Initiative (QPI), an approach to foster care that emphasizes teamwork among foster parents, birth parents and agency staff.

\”The most important partners in the foster care system are the foster parents, and yet their needs are often lost in the demands of providing critical support to the children and youth entrusted to their care,\” said DCFS Secretary Marketa Garner Walters. \”The goal of Louisiana Fosters is to improve the supports available to these caregivers through partnerships between the community and the foster care system. Together, we are building the village our foster parents need to care for our children.\”

Attendees included Court Appointed Special Advocates, judges, foster parents, DCFS caseworkers, teachers, school counselors, faith leaders, Louisiana Fosters network partners and business leaders from across the state. Each was asked to draw upon his or her background and training to help find solutions to issues pertaining to foster youth and their caregivers.

\”Having such a diverse group of committed stakeholders at the table will give us a broad range of perspectives on the issues our foster parents and children face and ways we might go about solving them,\” Walters said.

The event was sponsored by Casey Family Programs, the nation\’s largest operating foundation focused on safely reducing the need for foster care and building communities of hope for America\’s children and families.

For more information about Louisiana Fosters, including a list of resources available for foster parents, visit www.LouisianaFosters.la.gov.

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November 7, 2018

November is Adoption Month

Kim & Kristyn Carver

and \”The 3 Carver Girls\”

In the fall of 2012, Kim & Kristyn Carver were invited to attend a gala in Washington, DC hosted by the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute. Being the adoptive parents of two little girls, sisters, honoring those doing extraordinary work in the fields of adoption and foster care was a perfect fit for the Carvers. But, little did they know that event would be the beginning of a major change for their family.

“We were busy professionals raising two toddlers at the time,” shares Kristyn, a professor of psychology and counseling at the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. “We knew nothing about foster care at the time, the plight of vulnerable children in care or the biological and foster families who care for them. There are so many constraints on the system and we were in the dark.”

Inspired to become more involved in Louisiana’s foster care system, Kim & Kristyn were hit with some incredible news as soon as they returned home. The birth mother of their adopted daughters had given birth to another baby who had been placed into foster care. Immediately, the Carvers began advocating for the new baby, and that’s when they learned that if they became certified foster parents, she could be placed in their home with her sisters.

“Once we began the journey into becoming foster parents, we learned that the system was broken and not functioning well due to repeated years of budget cuts and a dearth of quality foster families for the state to use as a resource,” Kim says. “We were working to bring a child into our home with her family and realized the need of a system overwhelmed by limited resources.\”

Based on their experience, the Carvers decided to do what they could to make a difference. Fast forward a few years, and much has changed. First, they formally adopted their youngest daughter at the age of two, and “The 3 Carver Girls” as their parents and family refer to them, are thriving, energetic and passionate children.

Secondly, through Crossroads NOLA, a faith based nonprofit , Kim and Kristyn help recruit, support and train foster families. Thanks to the faith based community, it has really taken hold and now has a network of over 60 church partners.

Kristyn uses her formal education in trauma interventions to train hundreds of professionals involved in the foster system, including judges, Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) volunteers, caseworkers from the Department of Children & Family Services, attorneys, foster families, and teachers.

“We are giving the people who care for our most vulnerable children a common language and a set of strategies to bring healing to those who have been impacted by the trauma of abuse, neglect and separation. The results are confirming what we know from the science – connection and trust in meaningful relationships with caregivers and adults improve outcomes for our children and their families.”

Kim and Kristyn are also thrilled to work with First Lady Donna Edward on her initiative – Louisiana Fosters, which brings together government, non-profit, faith and community leaders and organizations to help support foster parents and children.

“We all have skills, resources or connections that can improve outcomes for children and families on the underside of power,” Kim says. “It has been amazing to see the lift Louisiana Fosters and its many partners around the state have made to our state’s foster care system.”

“Many people look at our family and mention how fortunate our daughters are to have been adopted – to be given family and connection,” Kim says. “In all actuality – Kristyn and I are the lucky ones in this deal. In all of this, God gave us a powerful faith.”

“He is right,” Kristyn says. “We are the lucky ones.”