Bulletin for January 24, 2023

Guest speaker Michael Williamson, President and CEO for the United Way of Southeast Louisiana, serves seven parishes of Southeast Louisiana; Jefferson, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa and Washington. He is responsible for all fund raising activities and related committees in the region.

Williamson shared information on recent data indicating many areas of poverty in Louisiana. The United Way’s mission is to build on past successes to create equitable communities that are economically stable. They provide the tools and resources that are needed to help assist low income families to become successful. Another example of other organizations who are investing in our youth to help create long term change, is the NOLA Coalition.  The United Way has invested one million dollars on top of the one million already invested in NOLA programs that help young people. Williamson, announced that a $1.9 million dollar grant, was recently awarded to the Mental Health Collaborative (MHC), from the U.S. Department of Health. MHC was created by the New Orleans City Council, to provide additional behavioral health services for young people in the city. The organization is comprised of health care providers, government agencies, nonprofits and other community groups tasked with working together to help improve access to mental health care in the city.