Labors of Love

  Although I've lived in New Orleans for almost 50 years, my stern Midwestern roots still run deep. As this pandemic rages on, I soldier on. As two friends died lonely COVID-19 deaths, I soldiered on. As my income plummeted…

  The COVID-19 pandemic has flooded our lives with a painful glut of anxiety.  On any given day, I bounce around from panicking about my financial security, my isolation, how in the hell will I evacuate a hurricane, to fears…

  As the pandemic grinds on, our lives continue to adapt to the new normal. And, as we open back up, working parents need to put their children back into childcare. However, the reality is that as they do, they…

  In the midst of dueling hurricanes, a pandemic and just way too much stress, today I offer a bit of hope for the future. Let me introduce you to The Color Company. Ava Carrigee is the marketing director, Abby…

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is leaving scores of New Orleans residents unemployed, while a growing wave of evictions is also rendering many of them homeless. It is also forcing schools to completely restructure in order to maintain a safe learning…

  According to The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, at one point, more than 1.5 billion students, (or 91 percent of the world’s students) were out of school because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the New Orleans area,…

  For 36 years, artist Oscar C. Donahue III has set up his shop, Oscar of New Orleans, in the bustling French Market. Here he sells whimsical handmade pins of such things as pink flamingos, crawfish and cool saxophone playing…

  There are hundreds of efforts being made by communities of color to support the next generation through churches, schools, afterschool programs and nonprofits. One such group is the Silverback Society, which was founded in the fall of 2007 by…

  Before the novel coronavirus, a typical day at ArcGNO — an organization that supports children and adults with Down syndrome, autism, or other intellectual disabilities — meant more than 220 adults would arrive at one of the five local…

  Whether you call it a binky, dummie or paci, if you can’t find your baby’s perfect pacifier it can seem like the end of the world. Katie Paganuzzi and her baby Ruby went through a trial and error period…

  Could you live on $435 each month? That’s the amount that 2.1 million seniors receive from Supplemental Security Income. Their struggle to live a quality life on that income is real and heartbreaking. According to the National Council on…

  Sometimes I daydream that I win the lottery — I mean, who hasn't? And the first thing I do with all my imaginary money is look for houses. I want a place on Bayou St. John, a farm in…

  There was a time, not too long ago, when most of the vehicles navigating the streets of New Orleans proudly displayed a "Save Our Lake" bumper sticker. The campaign was spearheaded by The Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation (LPBF), and…

The other day a press release came onto my feed and it made me smile as it’s always great to see good things happen to good people. Amy Boyle Collins was recently named chief executive officer of New Orleans public…

  New Orleans children are suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) at rates four times higher than their peers around the country. In a survey of more than 1,000 local children: 37 percent reported witnessing domestic violence; 54 percent had…

  The first time my young daughter walked to Terranova’s — a small neighborhood grocery store — by herself to buy some candy, I was consumed with dread.  It was less than two blocks there and back but the 10…

  The butter yellow New Orleans Ronald McDonald House on Canal Street is a warm and welcoming 15-bedroom home with a huge kitchen and dining room, two laundry areas, a toy room, two family relaxation areas and a living room.…

  On this dreary Monday set amid the continuing current challenges, hopefully this will add a smile to your day.   The current pandemic has encouraged many of us to consider taking on a new challenge or heading in a…

  “I have often reflected upon the new vistas that reading has opened to me. I knew right there in prison that reading had changed forever the course of my life. As I see it today, the ability to read…

  I’m sure you won’t find it in a nonprofit administration textbook, but my 45 years of nonprofit experience shows me that besides passion and good programming, a successful nonprofit needs two things: someone who can raise buckets of money…

  We’ve all experienced it — the Corona Coaster. One moment you’re coping relatively well with our new reality and the next you’re filled with grief, anger and anxiety. Finding things that are better since COVID-19 is a challenge, but…

  Feed a hungry child, ease the loneliness of a senior, heal a suffering patient or inspire a young person, GiveNOLA Day —Tuesday, June 2— is your chance to help regional nonprofit organizations build a safer, stronger, healthier, more educated…

  “My husband always says that we are the city’s best kept secret,” says Roselle M. Ungar, Jewish Family Service of Greater New Orleans’ executive director. Founded in 1948, JFS is a social service agency serving people of all faiths…

  I’ve worn mine to brave the grocery, to visit, but not hug, the grandkids and to comfort a friend, who on Mother’s Day, got a call saying that after a long brutal battle, COVID-19 finally defeated her son. My…

  To show appreciation for all of the first-responder heroes of COVID-19, the Jefferson Chamber Foundation — a charitable foundation that supports the Jefferson Chamber of Commerce with beautification initiatives, professional development and leadership programs — has created the Bites…