The City of Shreveport and the Housing Authority of the City of Shreveport are working with longstanding community and regional partners to lead children and youth from poverty, provide necessary skills to access living wage jobs, and improve the health, safety, and quality of life for target and neighborhood residents.

Our work is the result of more than five years of residents, stakeholders, and service providers working together to address our neighborhood’s greatest challenges. The strategies are designed to address our greatest needs, focusing on physical and mental health and wellness; preparing our young children to enter kindergarten ready to learn; making sure our youth complete high school and move on to college, vocational school, or are career ready; and households are economically stable and self-sufficient. We will accomplish this by building upon the community’s deep culture, and leveraging our partners' tireless commitment to improve the lives of our residents.

Our anchor institution partners include Southern University of Shreveport, the Shreveport Regional Arts Council, and Volunteers of America, with case management provided by Housing Opportunities Unlimited, and Education initiatives developed through the Caddo Parish School District. In addition, we have more than 20 partnerships with local and regional organizations working in healthcare, economic development, education, community engagement, safety and urban gardens.

Notable Projects

David Raines Community Health Center, a federally qualified health center, operates at the J.S. Clark Elementary School, providing annual physicals, diagnostic testing, preventative health care, dental care, and mental health care to neighborhood residents and children. They will expand telemedicine services, where mobile health clinics will visit target housing sites providing medical services and screening.

Southern University of Shreveport will expand their YouthBuild Program, in partnership with Shreveport Green, to develop The Milam Street Farm Collective, a working urban farm that will support the culinary activities at the Milam Street Kitchen Incubator. Neighborhood youth will till land, plant fruits and vegetables, harvest, package, and market food products to be used by local businesses and restaurants.

Volunteers of America will provide a new LightHouse facility within the former Millennium Studios building. Case managers and tutors will provide after-school care, education, and health services to target residents and youth. Additionally, in partnerships with Caddo Parish School District and the Child and Family Network, the StepForward education program will focus on Early Childhood Learning, Early Literacy, Middle Grade Stem, Youth Citizenship and Workforce Development.

The James Burton Foundation will provide music education and mentorships to neighborhood youth interested in pursuing music careers. This program, sponsored by Elvis Presley's legendary guitarist James Burton, will provide recording facilities, use of instruments, and mentorship from professional musicians.

Northern and Central Interfaith and the United Way of North Louisiana will provide workforce development programs for unemployed adults, and employed youth and adults within industries that provide living wage jobs in growing sectors, including health care, IT, and advanced manufacturing.