Operation Reach

Mardi Gras observance: Offices closed until Wednesday

aanthony — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 20:51:02 +0000

The offices of Operation REACH, Inc., and the Knowledge Garden are close until Wednesday morning in observance of the Mardi Gras season. Have a festive and safe Mardi Gras!

Operation REACH, Inc., posted 990 for 2010

aanthony — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 10:50:24 +0000

The 990 for 2010 for Operation REACH, Inc., can be viewed here.

GYAF Youth Board contemplates funding decisions

aanthony — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 23:26:32 +0000

Members of the youth advisory board of the Gulfsouth Youth Action Fund (GYAF) are in the process of reviewing and approving proposals for the 2012 funding cycle. The board thanks all of the dedicated organizations who submitted proposals. This year’s submissions were creative and thoughtful, and covered a range of issues from water recycle and restoration to making mats from discarded plastic shopping bags to social justice.

Our continue gratitude is extended to all who enable the GYAF board young leaders to continue in their mission to support other youth-led and youth-driven initiatives. Stay tune to an announcement of the ceremony date where the board will award the 2012 grants.

Have a wonderful 2012

aanthony — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 19:33:55 +0000

The staff of Operation REACH, Inc. and the Knowledge Garden Child Development Center hopes that 2012 is your best year ever.

Operation REACH, Inc., closure during the holidays

aanthony — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 19:45:30 +0000

The administrative office and the Knowledge Garden Child Development Center will be closed Monday, December 26 through Friday, December 30, 2011 in observance of the Christmas and New Year Holiday. All offices will open on Monday, January 2, 2012.

Our very best wishes to you for a joyful and safe holiday season!

Apply Today to Fund Youth-led Projects! Full Proposal Due Dec. 16th

aanthony — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 16:48:12 +0000

General Overview
The Gulfsouth Youth Action Fund (GYAF) is a youth-led philanthropy initiative developed in 2007 by Operation REACH, Inc., in conjunction with the Greater New Orleans Foundation (GNOF), and made possible through generous support from the Blue Cross Blue Shield Foundation, The Starbucks Foundation, and Legacy® Foundation, as well as private donations. The GYAF engages, empowers and inspires youth with resources to make strategic investments in creating youth-driven change in their community. The Gulfsouth Youth Action Fund’s Youth Advisory Board supports progressive, youth-led and youth-driven initiatives that demonstrate the power of youth motivated to create change in their community. Grant awards range from $500 to $5,000.

Special Grant Program
This year, we are offering two grant award opportunities. In addition to our general GYAF grant funding, applicants can also apply for a Legacy Tobacco Control Grant (LTCG) focused on community health. These grants are funded through the Legacy® Foundation based in Washington, DC. We will be awarding 5 grants up to $2,500 each for youth-led, adult supported projects that specifically address tobacco use in New Orleans. Applying for these funds does not restrict you from applying for a general GYAF grant.

We encourage youth to submit well-written and carefully thought-out concepts for our funding consideration. It is important for youth to be involved in the creation of this proposal.

Letters of Intent are due by Wednesday, November 23th, 2011.

Proposals are due Friday, December 16th, 2011 by 5:00 p.m. C.S.T.

Download the grants’ instructions and applications here.

Contact Angela Anthony at (504)529-1922 ext. 106 or
at aanthony@operationreach.org with any questions regarding the general GYAF proposal.

Contact Reggie Moore at (202) 341-7173 or via e-mail at rmoore@legacyforhealth.org with any questions regarding your LTCP proposal.

Knowledge Garden Child Development Center Awarded 4 Stars

aanthony — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 16:23:47 +0000

We have stars in our eyes…four stars to be exact. The Knowledge Garden Child Development Center has been awarded four stars by the Louisiana Department of Children & Family Services. Congratulations to the Knowledge Garden teachers and staff on A Job Very Well Done!

Donate Used Cooking Oil Through Dec 3

aanthony — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 18:27:04 +0000

The Gulfsouth Youth Biodiesel Project, a program of Operation REACH, Inc., is collecting used cooking oil from households frying turkeys this Thanksgiving. The collection campaign runs from Monday, November 28 through Saturday, December 3, 2011. However, days and times vary at each location.

Oil should be replaced into original container before being dropped off. All oil collecting will be used to produce eco-friendly biodiesel fuel, help reduce emissions, and keep oil and grease out of the drains.

For additional information, contact Plant manager Daniel Nunez at 504-221-8264.

Additionally on Saturday, December 10, from 9:00 am – until noon, the Jefferson Parish Department of Environmental Affairs, in conjunction with The Capital Area Corporate Recycling Council (CACRC), The Green Project and Operation REACH, Inc. will collect electronics, paint and used cooling oil collection from Jefferson Parish residents in the parking lot of the Joseph S. Yenni Building, 1221 Elmwood Park Blvd.

Turkey drive locations and drop off times are as follows:

Operation REACH, Inc.
1700 Josephine St.
New Orleans, LA
Mon Nov 28 thru Fri Dec 2
9am to 5pm

Whole Foods at Arabella Station
5600 Magazine St
New Orleans, LA
Mon Nov 28 thru Sat Dec 3
9am to 9pm

Whole Foods on Veterans
3420 Veterans Memorial Blvd
Metairie, Louisiana
Mon Nov 28 thru Sat Dec 3
9am to 9pm

Delgado Jefferson Campus off Airline Hwy
5200 Blair Dr
Metairie, LA
Mon Nov 28 thru Fri Dec 2
9am to 5pm

Allied Waste Recycling (Also accepting recyclables)
808 L and A Road
Metairie, LA
Sat Dec 3
8am to 1pm

At the event on December 10, only the following items will be accepted:

Electronic Waste: computers, monitors, printers, radios, camcorders, VCR’s, CD players, DVD players, MP3 players, telephones, stereos, Xboxes, Playstations, Wii, digital cameras and digital video cameras, digital picture frames, portable navigation and GPS devices (Garmin, Magellan, Tom-Tom), fax machines, circuit boards (of any type), processors, uninterruptible power supplies (UPS), toner cartridges, ink jet cartridges

Used Paint: Latex and Oil based coatings (not dried up or spoiled).

The following materials will not be accepted:
Pesticides; fluorescent and neon light bulbs and lighting ballasts; batteries; mercury and mercury containing equipment; liquid waste of any kind; paint; oil (can be brought to David Drive or Lapalco Trash drop-off sites); antifreeze (can be brought to David Drive or Lapalco Trash Drop-off Sites); ammunition; propane tanks; appliances; paper products, plastics, tin and aluminum cans

About Operation REACH, Inc.
Operation REACH, Inc. (ORI) is a national organization that engages, empowers and inspires children, youth and families through innovative community-based learning opportunities.

About the Gulfsouth Youth Biodiesel Project
The Gulfsouth Youth Biodiesel Project is a youth-led social enterprise focusing on the conversion of used cooking oil into biodiesel fuel as a means of educating and developing leadership and social entrepreneurship of the young as part of a “green collar” workforce.

Technical Assistance Workshop held November 16 at 6:00p.m.

aanthony — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 20:45:55 +0000

Members of the Gulfsouth Youth Action Fund (GYAF) will lead a Technical Assistance Workshop for youth-serving, youth-led organizations interested in applying for GYAF and Legacy Tobacco Control Grant (LTCG) grants.

The Technical Assistance Workshop will take place on Wednesday, November 16, at 6:00 p.m. at the National Headquarters of Operation REACH, Inc. (ORI), located at 2115 Carondelet Street, New Orleans, LA 70130. The TA workshop is free and open to the public.

At the workshop, facilitated by members of the GYAF Youth Advisory Board, potential applicants will receive instructions on how to complete the grant proposal and have the opportunity to ask questions about the application process. Individual youth, unincorporated youth groups, 501(c)3 organizations, and faith-based organizations are eligible to apply for funding through the GYAF. The GYAF supports progressive, youth-led and youth-driven initiatives that demonstrate the power of youth motivated to create change in their community. Grant awards range from $500 to $5,000. Since 2007, the GYAF has awarded more than $33,000 to youth-serving organizations.

In addition to the general GYAF grant funding, applicants can also apply for a Legacy Tobacco Control Grant (LTCG) focused on community health. These grants are funded through the Legacy® Foundation based in Washington, DC. Legacy will award five grants up to $2,500 each for youth-led, adult supported projects that specifically address tobacco use in New Orleans. Incorporated 501(c)3 organizations, faith-based organizations, and school or campus-based groups are eligible to apply for funding through the LTCG. Applications can be submitted for both grants.

Please RSVP for the Technical Assistance Workshop, contact Angela Anthony at aanthony@operationreach.org or (504) 529-1922 ext. 106. To apply for grants, visit www.operationreach.org.

Students are Bound for College

aanthony — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 16:57:57 +0000

Recently, 38 participants began their journey towards the pursuit of a college education. College Bound began with the enthusiastic participants taking their pre-entrance examinations to determine the scores they would make if taking the ACT test immediately. Over the next several weeks, ORI staff along with experienced instructors and college-age tutors will work diligently with the 38 high school students to increase their actual scores when they take the test in December.
Participants did not attend the pretest session alone. An interactive parent orientation was also part of the process. Program coordinators emphasized that the eight-week program will take the focus commitment of participants and their parents who have a role in making sure their sons and daughters are present for all test preparation and needed tutoring.
College Bound, a signature program of Operation REACH, is made possible through the generous support of the Junior League of New Orleans, Inc., and Loyola University New Orleans which is donating classroom space.
College Bound participants have consistently shown at least two-point increases in their ACT scores. The program is free for participants and open to juniors and seniors in New Orleans-area high schools. College Bound is part of ORI’s cradle-to-careers pipeline of programs that prepares youth for academic success and community leadership.