Generous Hearts by Susan Bonnett Bourgeois
THE TITLE OF THIS RECURRING SEGMENT, “Generous Hearts,” always makes me smile, especially at this time of year. As we take a cumulative sigh coming off a really challenging two years, this holiday season causes me to reflect on all the good that the incredibly generous hearts on the Northshore have made possible through our trying, exhausting, pandemic- and hurricanefilled lives. In the midst of unchartered challenges, and because of you, your Northshore Community Foundation accomplished some very unique things for some truly amazing people.
September heat is hard on all of us, but it is unsafe for our golden generation. We helped to deliver generators, fuel, fans, and food to homebound elderly neighbors who needed it the most. We even made sure that the equipment was safely installed and in working order. Facts from The Front Lines - When confusion seemed to be leading the Covid dialogue, we assembled the Northshore medical community and hundreds of people heard directly from doctors to get firsthand information to inform themselves, their families, their employees, and their entire communities on the resurgence of the pandemic.
More Nurses, More Care – We supported an exceptional effort between Slidell Memorial Hospital and Northshore Technical Community College to get expedited training for healthcare workers, enabling them to be on the healthcare front lines during the pandemic. Fueling Communities, Literally – We worked with our partners at Chevron to provide 10,000 gallons of gas, free of charge, for the desperate need to keep fueling our homes, cars and lives immediately after the storm. Feeding our Neighbors - From Good Sam’s Ministry in Slidell to Our Daily Bread in Hammond, we helped to support critical community partners and the resources they needed to feed our communities. Keeping our Old Folks Safe - South Louisiana
Giving Kids and Parents a Break – We enabled the Louisiana Children’s Museum to open its doors immediately after Hurricane Ida, free of charge, at the height of our desperation and stress so kids and parents alike could cool off and forget about the challenges at home. Sometimes people think of the Northshore Community Foundation as a sort of charitable bank, writing checks from 9-5 and calling it a day. The reality could not be more different, as we spend our days making vital connections, addressing needs and directly impacting lives throughout the region. The only way we are able to do all of this is because of the generous hearts on the Northshore and our absolute commitment to one another. We are humbled and grateful to act as a catalyst for good.
Because of You
November-December 2021 75
