Louisiana

Boys and girls at Boys Town Louisiana are seeing first hand the importance of eating healthier thanks to a recent partnership with YourNutritionDelivered.com.

Developed by wellness expert Erik Frank, YourNutritionDelivered.com has one goal – to make you a healthier and happier person. And for each person they help, Boys Town Louisiana gets a portion of the proceeds.

So how does it work?

Boys Town Louisiana raised a whopping $56,000 with its first ever Retro ReProm event held at Gallier Hall in New Orleans November 17.

The event was a unique opportunity for Boys Town to recreate guests’ high school proms while helping Louisiana’s at - risk children and families. The funds went to the general operation of the Boys Town Louisiana campus.

Steven Lozier was 15-years-old when he first arrived at Boys Town Louisiana. Family problems at home and poor attendance at school found Steven looking for another chance.

Now, Steven is 17 years old. In the two years’ time he has spent with Boys Town his life has dramatically turned around, and he has earned all levels within Boys Town’s achievement systems. He dreams of getting an education and starting a career as an auto mechanic.

Boys Town Louisiana youth got active this summer with projects they wouldn’t otherwise have gotten to do, thanks to a $5,300 grant from the PeyBack Foundation.

You know those unbudgeted or unexpected items that tend to crop up throughout the month? They may seem like little things – but we all know they add up!

That’s why Colleen Hurst, Boys Town Louisiana Program Support Services Coordinator, recently proposed a yard sale to cover some of the unexpected or unbudgeted items that arise in the In-Home Family Services program, and the Host Program, a foster care-like service for runaway and homeless youth provided by Boys Town Louisiana.

One Boys Town Louisiana youth is learning to lead in his new position in the Louisiana Youth Leadership Advisory Council.

Darrell, a youth in Boys Town Louisiana’s City Park home, was elected President of the Council after presenting a speech to nearly 30 youth in foster care or the state’s Young Adult Program, a voluntary service that provides independent living assistance to foster care youth after they turn 18.

Laughter and cheers echoed from the Stone Oil Distributors suite at a recent New Orleans Hornets basketball game.

The commotion came from the Boys Town Louisiana youth who were invited to attend the basketball game in style by Stone Oil Distributors. Many of these boys and girls in residential care have never seen a professional basketball game, let alone enjoy it from the comfort of a suite.

Children and families served by Boys Town Louisiana had an extra-special Christmas thanks to donations by Home Bank Northshore and Covenant Church.

Home Bank Northshore adopted four In-Home Family Services families this season and fulfilled their Christmas wish lists with presents like Barbie dolls, toy cars and art supplies. “The event went well, and the families had a great time,” said Lynn Shields, Boys Town Louisiana Development Director.

Boys Town’s involvement in child and family care reform received a boost recently with the appointment of Dennis Dillon, Ph.D., Boys Town Louisiana Executive Director, to the Louisiana Coordinated System of Care (CSoC) committee.

The office of Louisiana Services recommended Dr. Dillon because of Boys Town’s significant role in the planning of and strategy for the system of care. Dr. Dillon is part of the Planning Group, which reports directly to the senior leaders of the participating agencies.