Gulf Coast Marketplace founder and Options for Independence CEO, Barry Chauvin, featured in upcoming BP community recovery video
Posted: April 27, 2012 Filed under: @gulfcoastmarket, Gulf Coast Marketplace, Louisiana, Options for Independence 1 Comment »
BP recently began developing a video featuring the outstanding community recovery work led by Options for Independence and their CEO, Barry Chauvin. Options for Independence is a not-for-profit social services agency based in Houma, Louisiana. Options provides crisis counseling, workforce development and other solutions designed to assist individuals and families impacted by disaster and experiencing barriers to success in Louisiana.
Options has helped individuals and families impacted by hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Gustov. Most recently they have been very involved with community recovery projects throughout Louisiana as a result of the Gulf Coast oil spill disaster.
In September 2011, Options for Independence launched the Gulf Coast Marketplace, an e-commerce solution for community recovery. The Gulf Coast Markeplace is a web platform designed to help Louisiana artists, craftsmen and micro-enterprises deliver their products to a global market.
Leadership from Louisiana businesses and economic development serve on the advisory panel for the Gulf Coast Marketplace and BP contributes as a major sponsor for the community recovery project. In addition, a team of graduate students from the University of New Orleans College of Business is also assisting Options for Independence by providing business development strategy for the project.
The BP video will feature some of the artists that have benefitted from the Gulf Coast Marketplace. Learn more about the many artists, craftsmen and micro-enterprises featured in the project on BayouResilience.com.
Vendor sign-up for the Gulf Coast Marketplace Festival has begun
Posted: January 26, 2012 Filed under: @gulfcoastmarket, Artist, BayouResilience, Craft Fair, Festival, Gulf Coast Marketplace, Louisiana, Options for Independence | Tags: BayouResilience.com, Gulf Coast Marketplace, Houma-Terrebonne Civic Center, Louisiana Leave a comment »The Gulf Coast Marketplace is now accepting vendor applications for its first live festival. The Gulf Coast Marketplace Festival is scheduled for Saturday, June 23rd and Sunday, June 24th, 2012 at the Houma-Terrebonne Civic Center (see flyer below). The festival will celebrate Louisiana’s unique culture and heritage, featuring handcrafted items by artists and craftsmen.
The indoor festival will also feature food, live music and a song-writers contest (look for details in the near future).
Each 10′ x 10′ vendor booth can be leased for $170. Gulf Coast Marketplace vendors recieve a $20 discount. Limited space is available. Vendors will be allowed to share booths.
For more information about the Gulf Coast Marketplace Festival contact Brandi LeCompte, 985-438-1231 or brandi@optionsforindependence.com.
Learn more about some of the artists, craftmen, authors, musicians and micro-enterprises now featured on the Gulf Coast Marketplace by scrolling through BayouResilience.com.
New video from Gulf Coast Marketplace artist Joycelyn Boudreaux
Posted: January 25, 2012 Filed under: @gulfcoastmarket, Artist, BayouResilience, Options for Independence, Uncategorized | Tags: #CopperheadStudios, #gulfcoastmarket, #GulfCoastMarketplace, #joycelynboudreaux, #louisianaartist, BayouResilience, Copperhead Studios Leave a comment »Check out this video post from Gulf Coast Marketplace artist, Joycelyn, Boudreaux, Copperhead Studios, Inc.
Learn about other Gulf Coast Marketplace artists on www.BayouResilience.com.
Follow the Gulf Coast Marketplace on Twitter @gulfcoastmarket
Gulf Coast Marketplace to host June festival
Posted: January 2, 2012 Filed under: @gulfcoastmarket, Artist, BayouResilience, Books, Gulf Coast Marketplace, Handcrafted, Music, Options for Independence, Uncategorized | Tags: Economic growth, festival, Gulf Coast Marketplace, Houma-Terrebonne Civic Center, Louisiana Leave a comment »Meet the artists featured on BayouResilience.com and on the Gulf Coast Marketplace
In June 2012, the Gulf Coast Marketplace, an e-commerce solution for community recovery, will host its first live festival featuring the talents of Louisiana artists, craftsmen, authors, musicians and other micro-enterprises. The indoor festival will feature art, crafts, live music and food and will take place on June 23rd and June 24th at the Houma-Terrebonne Civic Center.
The Gulf Coast Marketplace, @gulfcoastmarket, is being developed as a virtual festival to help celebrate and deliver the talents of Louisiana artists, craftsmen and micro-enterprises to a global market. In addition to introducing a unique culture and heritage to the world, the Gulf Coast Marketplace is one important element of a 3-tiered community recovery program led by Options for Independence to bring income into households that have experienced economic challenge.
The mission of the Gulf Coast Marketplace is to contribute to community recovery by providing opportunities for economic growth and financial independence to individuals and families, especially those impacted by disaster.
Gulf Coast Marketplace artists will receive a discount to participate in the festival. Anyone interested in joining the Gulf Coast Marketplace as a vendor should contact Brandi LeCompte at brandi@optionsforindependence.com.
“From California to Cocodrie” features 750 coast-to-coast recipes
Posted: December 14, 2011 Filed under: @gulfcoastmarket, Books, cookbook, Gulf Coast Marketplace, Louisiana, Options for Independence, Uncategorized | Tags: Cajun, Cajun Cookbook, California, Economic growth, Gulf Coast Marketplace, Gulf Coast of the United States, Houma Louisiana, Louisiana, Marion Haines Duplantis, San Bernardino Mountains Leave a comment »“From California to Cocodrie” is a “chock-a-block full” cook-book compiled by Marion Haines Duplantis of Houma, 
Louisiana. Marion’s collection consists of 750 tried-and-true recipes.
Marion grew up in Southern California near the San Bernardino Mountains, where she first learned to cook at the age of twelve. Marion moved to South Louisiana with her family when she was eighteen. That’s where she discovered Cajun cooking. This book is a compilation of Marion’s favorite recipes that she has collected from coast-to-coast.
Marion’s “From California to Cocodrie” cookbook is now available on the Gulf Coast Marketplace for only $18.95.
The mission of The Gulf Coast Marketplace is to contribute to community recovery by providing opportunities for economic growth and financial independence to individuals and families, especially those impacted by disaster.
The Gulf Coast Marketplace is being developed as a virtual festival to help celebrate and deliver the talents of Louisiana artists, craftsmen and micro-enterprises to a global market.
Louisiana woodturner creates keepsakes from deer antler
Posted: November 29, 2011 Filed under: @gulfcoastmarket, Gulf Coast Marketplace, Handcrafted, Louisiana, Options for Independence, Uncategorized | Tags: Artisan, Cartridge (firearms), Conversation piece, Electronic commerce, Gulf Coast Marketplace, Gulf Coast of the United States, ink pen, John Barrios, Louisiana, Sportsmen Leave a comment »In addition to turning Louisiana’s fallen trees into one-of-a-kind bowls and vases, John Barrios crafts pens from deer antler and 
brass shell casing. Sportsman appreciate the craftsmanship of these unique conversation pieces.
John is one of many Louisiana artists, craftsmen, authors, musicians and micro-enterprises now featured on the Gulf Coast Marketplace – e-commerce solution for community recovery.
John’s handcrafted keepsakes are available on the Gulf Coast Marketplace.
Artist helps support medical center’s foundation and celebrate milestone
Posted: November 12, 2011 Filed under: @gulfcoastmarket, BayouResilience, disaster recovery, Gulf Coast Marketplace, Handcrafted, Louisiana, Options for Independence, Uncategorized | Tags: Archbishop Blenk High School, Christy, Gretna Heritage Festival, Gulf Coast Marketplace, Gulf Coast of the United States, Louisiana, New Orleans, West Jefferson Medical Center Leave a comment »Artist Christy Works-Bouttee created an original painting commemorating West Jefferson Medical Center’s 50th anniversary of 
service to the community. The painting raised $2,600 for the West Jefferson Hospital Foundation at the medical center’s 50th Anniversary Gala and is now available in limited edition, signed and numbered prints on the Gulf Coast Marketplace.
As a charitable support organization for West Jefferson Medical Center in Marrero, Louisiana, the West Jefferson Hospital Foundation is dedicated to raising private funds to enhance patient care. Proceeds from the sale of the print help to support the mission of the foundation.
Here’s information about the artist from her website, www.artbychristy.com:
It is often said that greatness is forged through adversity, and the rise of the talented young artist, Christy Works-Boutte exemplifies this philosophy. A childhood illness led to Christy’s loss of hearing at the age of one. Subsequently, many observers and critics of her work attribute her rapid artistic maturity to this loss of hearing and the many obstacles she has had to overcome. Christy’s determination as a young girl and unwavering belief in herself has continued throughout her career, and led to many successes as an artist.
Christy’s first exposure to school and art classes began at the age of three when she attended Chinchuba Institute for the Deaf in New Orleans. However, her desire to attend a normal hearing school led Christy to St. Cletus in Gretna, and later to graduate from Archbishop Blenk High School where she continued to develop as an artist. Her love of and passion for art grew while attending the world-renowned Ringling College of Art & Design in Sarasota, Florida. There she developed a strong artistic style, and in 2000, became the school’s first deaf student to receive a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.
Christy’s love of vibrant colors and the ability to create harmony using thick oil paints has become a trademark of her paintings. Being chosen by her hometown, Gretna, Louisiana, as the artist for the Gretna Heritage Festival is one of the highlights of her career. She has enjoyed creating the posters for the festival every year since 2003. Since then, she has gone on to create posters for the New Orleans Wine and Food Experience, The International Grand Isle Tarpon Rodeo, The Jean Lafitte Seafood Festival, and other including the Plaquemines Parish Fair and Orange Festival which was named the “Best Festival Poster” of 2008 by the Louisiana Association of Fair and Festivals. Her distinctive style can be seen throughout her work including her “Love That…”series, many festival posters, variations on the Fleur de Lis and other New Orleans and Louisiana inspired pieces. All of Christy’s paintings continue to be works from the heart where she states they are “from my heart to yours.”
Visit Christy’s website at www.artbychristy.com.
Purchase one of Christy Works-Bouttee’s signed and numbered prints supporting the mission of the West Jefferson Hospital Foundation on the Gulf Coast Marketplace.
The West Jefferson Hospital Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit entity which provides financial support to West Jefferson Medical Center. It is a legally separate entity from West Jefferson Medical Center and serves as a charitable support organization operated exclusively for charitable, educational and scientific purposes within the meaning of 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or the corresponding provision of any future United States tax code.
In addition to celebrating Louisiana’s unique artists, culture and micro-enterprises, the Gulf Coast Marketplace is available to assist not-for-profit organizations to achieve their missions, like that of the West Jefferson Hospital Foundation. Scroll through BayouResilience.com for background on my of the artists now featured on the Gulf Coast Marketplace.
Fred Peer lends his first-hand perspective to assist artists impacted by disaster
Posted: October 24, 2011 Filed under: @gulfcoastmarket, disaster recovery, Fred Peer, Gulf Coast Marketplace, Gulf Oil Spill, Louisiana, N.O. Brew, Options for Independence, Uncategorized | Tags: Coffee, Deepwater Horizon oil spill, Fred Peer, Hurricane Katrina, Katrina, Louisiana, N.O. Brew, New Orleans, Peer Group, Whole Foods Market Leave a comment »
While evacuating with family and friends in Franklin, LA, Fred and his family watched the news helplessly as the 17th Street Canal breeched spilling into the Lakeview area of New Orleans. They soon learned that their home was submerged in 10 feet of floodwater, actually being able to see their house on the national news. Everything they could not take with them was lost. “While the BP spill might have been the catalyst to get the Gulf Coast Marketplace started, I think it’s an idea we’re going to see a lot more of in the coming years. As the world continues to become more globally focused, I believe that consumers are becoming increasingly ‘village conscious’, trying to make decisions that will benefit the areas closest to where they live. The Gulf Coast Marketplace allows consumers to make specific, locally-beneficial decisions that will in-turn help them to preserve much of what they love about the region in which they live. Additionally, the Gulf Coast Marketplace gives local artisans the opportunity to do something that big, mega corporations can’t do. They can give their products a face. And the face is their own. When you buy a product from the Gulf Coast Marketplace, you know you are making a one-to-one deal that directly benefits the person from whom you are buying it,” — Fred Peer, CEO, N.O. Brew
Help available for those still struggling after Gulf oil spill
Posted: October 18, 2011 Filed under: @gulfcoastmarket, BayouResilience, disaster recovery, Gulf Coast Marketplace, Gulf Oil Spill, Louisiana, Options for Independence | Tags: Catholic Charities Archdiocese of New Oleans, Community Recovery, Deepwater Horizon oil spill, Disaster Recovery, Goodwork Network, Gulf Coast Marketplace, Gulf Coast of the United States, Gulf of Mexico, Gulf oil spill, Hurricane Katrina, Independence - Building, Louisiana, Louisiana Small Business Development Center, Louisiana Spirit, Louisiana Workforce Commission, LSBDC, Metro New Orleans Sourcelink Leave a comment »
The residual impact of the Gulf oil spill continues to bring a tremendous amount of stress and concern to many living and working in south Louisiana. Every Tuesday morning, crisis counselors from the Louisiana Spirit program tell me stories about the fishermen, shrimpers, restaurant owners, families and small businesses that struggle to make ends meet.
The Louisiana Spirit team provides case management, crisis counseling and outreach for those impacted by the disaster. Another important role that the crisis counselors play is to serve as “workforce liaisons” in the field, introducing people to programs and services that might help them to find jobs and bring additional income into households.
Options For Independence, working in partnership with the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH) Office of Mental Health (OMH), provided crisis counseling and outreach services to people impacted by Hurricanes Lili and Isidore, Katrina and Rita, and Gustav and Ike. This crisis counseling recovery model became known as the “Louisiana Spirit” program, funded by FEMA and SAMHSA under the Stafford Act.
What is Louisiana Spirit?
Louisiana Spirit Coastal Recovery Counseling Program is a state-funded crisis counseling and stress management program for individuals, families and groups most affected by the Deep Water Horizon Oil Spill along the Louisiana Gulf Coast. Funding is directed from the Department of Health and Hospitals/Office of Behavioral Health to the local Human Services Authorities to Options for Independence. Louisiana Spirit was designed in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita to provide short-term behavioral health interventions and help individuals return to their pre-disaster levels of functioning. Today, Louisiana Spirit is still providing these post-disaster services, but has evolved and adapted to meet the needs of the Deep Water Horizon Oil Spill Victims.
How are services delivered?
Through Options for Independence, Louisiana Spirit employs Licensed and Master’s level mental health professionals to provide both community-based and clinic-based counseling services. Louisiana Spirit also employs Resource Linkage Coordinators, Case Managers, and Workforce Liaisons. By subcontracting with our TRAC (Terrebonne Readiness and Assistance Coalition) and BISCO (Bayou Interfaith Shared Community Organizing) partners, Louisiana Spirit is also able to utilize the services of Community Liaisons. It is the goal of Louisiana Spirit to provide services that are easily accessible, readily available, and that fit the specific needs of each community.
Louisiana Spirit’s workforce liaisons try to match the needs of individuals with opportunities that match their needs. Here’s a list of a few of the programs and services that are working closely with Louisiana Spirit and the individuals and families in need of counseling, job placement, employment training and certification, small business development solutions:
- Catholic Charities Archdiocese of New Orleans - Visit www.ccano.org.
- Goodwork Network - primary provider of business development services for the small community-based businesses that support families and sustain communities. Call 504-309-2073. Visit www.goodworknetwork.org.
- Gulf Coast Marketplace– An online marketplace for hand-crafted items created by people living in the states bordering the Gulf of Mexico. The mission of the Gulf Coast Marketplace is to contribute to community recovery by providing opportunities for economic growth and financial independence to individuals and families, especially those impacted by disaster. Visit www.thegulfcoastmarketplace.org
- Louisiana Small Business Development Center (LSBDC) – Strive to empower entrepreneurs with the right tools,
technical assistance, and resources to start, grow, expand and succeed in their business ventures. Visit www.lsbdc.org - Louisiana Spirit – Call 985-873-8061
- Louisiana Workforce Commission (phone, web-link), (description of services) Visit www.laworks.net.
- Metro New Orleans Sourcelink – Connects business and entrepreneurs to a network of business building resources and services, call toll free 855-722-4113, www.bizsourceneworleans.com.
- Options for Independence – Building better communities, one person at a time, is not just a slogan, but the guiding principle at Options for Independence. Call 985-868-2620. Visit www.optionsforindependence.com.
Of course, this is not a complete list. There are many, many people and organizations providing help. As I learn about them, I will try to introduce them to you and those in need through BayouResilience.com. Please share this info with anyone that needs help.
If you or your organization provides assistance for individuals, families and small businesses impacted by the oil spill and other disasters, please provide information in the “comments” section below. I would love to hear from you.
