New BP video features Gulf Coast Marketplace
Posted: June 6, 2012 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: BP, Community Recovery, Gulf Coast Marketplace, Options for Independence Leave a comment »The Louisiana community recovery missions of the Gulf Coast Marketplace and its parent organization, Options For Independence, are featured in a new BP video.
Brand new St. Bernard Parish Hospital expected to open in August 2012
Posted: March 21, 2012 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Community Recovery, St. Bernard Parish Hospital Leave a comment »
Artist rendering of the future St. Bernard Parish Hospital
There’s no prouder Louisiana community than that of St. Bernard Parish– and none that was more impacted by the natural and man-made disasters that have rocked the Gulf Coast. On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina devastated the area. The storm damaged virtually every building including the parish hospital. This destruction forced the proud residents of St. Bernard to seek healthcare elsewhere.
Photo provided by Jessica Gonzalez, The St Bernard Voice
Expected to open its doors in August 2012, the brand new St. Bernard Parish Hospital will bring healthcare back home to this proud, historically significant community. It promises to serve as an anchoring and stabilizing force in healthcare in St. Bernard Parish and as a major catalyst for economic and community recovery.
The 113,000 square foot state of the art facility will feature 32 general medical/surgical beds and eight intensive care beds, four operating suites, two endoscopy suites, and a 10-bed emergency department. In addition, St. Bernard Parish Hospital will provide complete medical imaging, laboratory and rehabilitation services.
With the patient and their loved ones in mind, considerable attention has been given to the look and feel of the hospital. Floor-to-ceiling windows in waiting areas let in natural light. Wide hallways, large rooms, flat screen TVs and softer light in patient room areas provide a higher level of comfort than what may be expected in a hospital environment.
In addition, all elements of the interior of the hospital have been designed to be as efficient as possible for the medical staff. The design team has focused on providing state-of-the-art medical technology, even taking into account how to reduce the number of steps that it takes for a medical professional to get from point A to point B when taking care of a patient.
A 60,000 square foot medical office building next to the hospital is also under development, thus making the St. Bernard Parish Hospital campus the core provider for the healthcare needs of St. Bernard Parish.
Many former residents have been hesitant to move back into St. Bernard Parish until the flood protection improved, schools were rebuilt and a health care infrastructure was in place. St. Bernard Parish Hospital will play a huge role in the economic and community recovery of the area. The construction of the hospital and the adjoining medical office building has been 100% funded through grants, tax credits and state capital outlay dollars.
For additional information about St. Bernard Parish Hospital visit www.sbph.net.
Gulf Coast Marketplace participating in “Thibodeauxville Fall Festival”
Posted: November 2, 2011 Filed under: BayouResilience, Gulf Coast Marketplace, Music, Options for Independence, Thibodeaux, Uncategorized | Tags: Bayou, Cajun, Community Recovery, Gulf Coast Marketplace, Hurricane Katrina, Louisiana Leave a comment »The Gulf Coast Marketplace, a virtual festival supporting artists and craftsmen in Louisiana, will participate as an exhibitor at 
the “Thibodeauxville Fall Festival“ next Saturday, November 12th in downtown Thibodaux. The Gulf Coast Marketplace booth will feature handmade items for sale from its participating vendors and opportunities for artists to sign up to participate in the virtual marketplace.
Thibodeauxville originated in 1992 in an effort to reacquaint the community with Thibodaux’s beautiful historic downtown area. Since its inception, Thibodeauxville has grown from 13 arts, crafts, and food vendors and a few hundred festival goers to 180 vendors and 15,000 visitors!
The arts, crafts, and music festival is held on the second Saturday of November each year and attracts visitors from as far away as Florida.
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. Developed by Options for Independence with support from an advisory panel of Louisiana economic development, government and business leaders, the Gulf Coast Marketplace is as an online marketplace for hand-crafted products and services.
In addition to the original arts and crafts and delicious Cajun food, Thibodeauxville now features several stages of continuous live musical entertainment. Local entertainers are featured as well as regionally known musical artists. Local residents as well as thousands of visitors to the city attend the festival. Charge no admission fee.
The festival opens at 8:30 a.m. and ends at 5:00 p.m. Participants enjoy a variety of activities for the entire family, including our famous “Thibodeauxville Duck Race” in beautiful Bayou Lafourche and a car show featuring hot rods, trucks, antique vehicles, and more.
Plan to participate in Thibodeauxville Fall Festival on Saturday, November 12, 2011…just in time for bringing in the holiday season and shoppers
For more information, please contact rhonda@ThibodauxChamber.com.
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.
