Written and shared by Carolyn Hammond
Good morning!
It is a privilege to be with you today at our Cherish the Children of God Breakfast, a 25-year Shreveport tradition built on one belief: every person deserves to be seen, supported, and valued.
And for more than 91 years, that belief has been at the heart of Volunteers of America North Louisiana.
Our mission has always been about more than providing services. It is about creating places where people discover they belong.
Because belonging is more than assistance or a program we offer.
Belonging means being seen, known, and loved without condition.
I learned something about belonging early in my own life. When I was younger, I transferred from a high-performing academic high school to another school. Many people questioned that decision. There were plenty of assumptions about what that change might mean for my future.
But something inside me told me that was where I was supposed to be. I trusted my intuition… & I was right.
At that new school, I found something I had not fully experienced before- belonging. That experience stayed with me because once I knew what belonging felt like, I understood how powerful it is in shaping a life.
That same spirit is what guides the work of our organization every day.
We sit, we walk, we pray with people.
And we believe in them sometimes until they remember how to believe in themselves again.
The testimonies you will hear today are not simply stories of services delivered. They are stories of belonging.
Families who know they are not alone.
Students who know they are not invisible.
Veterans who know they are not forgotten.
Scripture reminds us that we are called to bear one another’s burdens. & when we do- lives begin to change.
Last year alone:
- Thousands of families received in school and after school support through our Communities In Schools and LightHouse programs.
• 318 students in DeSoto Parish received behavioral health support and avoided expulsion.
• 125 veterans found permanent housing.
Those numbers represent lives restored.
And none of this would be possible without you.
To our Cherish the Children & Evergreen society members, and others supporting our mission- thank you for believing that love requires action.
As our work continues to grow, we look forward to continuing our legacy of providing quality service and meeting people where they are. In a world where customer service is lacking, I want us to excel.
For those individuals who do become clients, I hope we can work to address all their needs and not just what brought them to us. When we can address the whole person and their needs, we set them up for a better tomorrow.
This year, our Board approved a nearly $20 million operating budget to sustain more than 40 programs serving children and families, Veterans, individuals with disabilities, and seniors. That work is carried out by 350 dedicated staff, many providing round‑the‑clock care in direct service roles.
While government funding covers some of our costs, it does not fully fund our programs and services.
The difference between what we expect to receive and what it takes to do this work is our funding gap—and this year, that gap is $2.7 million.
With growing uncertainty at the federal level that could trickle down to the state, that gap carries real risk.
Because $2.7 million is more than a number.
It’s the difference between reacting to crisis and building stability.
Between meeting basic needs and helping people truly move forward.
In a moment, you’ll meet three individuals who found stability, hope, and belonging because that gap was bridged. I challenge you to consider where they’d be today without that support.
- If Tony didn’t call the McAdoo his home, would the lack of safety and stability keep his mother awake each night worrying?
- If the thousands of students we serve in Caddo Parish didn’t receive support through our licensed partnership Communities In Schools, would graduation be a far-fetched dream?
- If we didn’t meet the varying needs of our community’s Veterans with a continuum of services, would they be alone in their struggle for sobriety and stability?
When we invest in programs like these, we are not just expanding services. We are helping people to rebuild their lives and rediscover that they belong.
And belonging changes everything. It turns isolation into connection. Crisis into possibility.
“I’m alone” into “We’ve got you.”
You will hear more about how you can be part of this work from Chris Gabriel a little later, but before that, I ask each of you here today to continue choosing belonging- for our community & our neighbors in need. Only together can we make sure everyone has a place to belong.
Thank you.