The Rotary Club of Shreveport has completed a three-year philanthropic partnership project with Common Ground Community. In the Rotary year 2018-2019 the Board of Directors for the Rotary Club of Shreveport requested that members suggest a local project that would make a significant impact. Several different projects were suggested by our members who presented programs on their recommended project. Our members voted on a multi-year partnership project with Common Ground Community.
During the first year of the project, Rotary Club of Shreveport purchased a Rotary Learning Bus for Common Ground, including the van “wrap”, various mats, flags and equipment to be used in the “Mommy & Me” program at Common Ground. In subsequent years, the club furnished the “Mommy & Me” classroom and purchased a large supply of books to be given to children in the Cedar Grove area. We provided take-home activity/snack bags for the school children at Atkins Elementary School and appreciation items for the teachers at the Atkins School, which is one of the schools in the parish with the most need of support.
When COVID started in 2020, the Rotary Learning Bus activities were greatly curtailed, and the funding then was used to assist Common Ground in feeding the needy families in the Cedar Grove area. Many of the children who were eligible for free breakfast and lunches were suddenly without the school’s food support, so Common Ground and Rotary Club of Shreveport stepped in to fill that void that the virtual schooling could not provide.
As a result of the partnership, the Rotary Club of Shreveport supported Common Ground Community with a total of $125,000.00 from 2018-2022 and made a significant impact with this project! The funding was financed through the Rotary Club of Shreveport dues program, donations from members to the Rotary Club of Shreveport Foundation, proceeds from two fund-raising events.
Rotary Club of Shreveport is a member of Rotary International, an association of Rotary clubs throughout the world. Rotary is an organization of business and professional leaders united worldwide who provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, work to eradicate polio worldwide, and help build goodwill and peace in the world.
