Our Mission

We are determined to provide children and families throughout the Gardere Community with fundamental services and resources that are ultimately unavailable to them.

Through spiritual intervention, local partnerships, and selfless volunteering, the Gardere Initiative touches the lives of many individuals who strive for the same opportunities, as surrounding Baton Rouge areas, to learn, grow, and succeed.

HISTORY

2006

Attorney Rica Kwentua (Faith Chapel) and Pastor Reginald Pitcher (Greater Sixty-Aid Baptist Church) decided that the churches needed to join together to address the clash between the 225s and 504s in the Gardere community following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. They established two annual events: the Back to School Extravaganza and the Love Fest.

FOUNDED

2013

The Afterschool Program started in 2013 with volunteers under the trees surrounding the unit and extended to the Summer Program in 2014.

PARTNERSHIPS

Dr. Murelle Harrison retired from Southern University and became the Executive Director. She partnered with Ms. Karen Lee, (President, South Burbank Crime Prevention District) and together they began collaborating with Captain Andrew Stevens and the EBRSO’s Community Police Unit. They initiated a plan to help make Gardere a Safe and Healthy community.

COMMUNITY PROGRAMS

2014

2013

Simultaneously, the BREC collaboration started with the installation of the playground in 2015 followed by a $350,000 renovation of the Hartley/Vey Park in 2018.

NEW PARK