North Louisiana Interfaith

This is huge news for Louisiana. And historic win for community-led resilience! ☀️🔋We're celebrating a $249 million federal investment in Louisiana to strengthen grid resilience, announced by the U.S. Department of Energy DOE today. The funded will be matched by $249 million in locally raised funding.

Louisiana's award was the third-largest among those announced by the DOE today, out of fifty-eight projects that won federal support. Entergy New Orleans won a separate grant for $50 million, bringing Louisiana's total funding annonced tooday to $299 million -- the 2nd highest haul for a state, behind Minnesota.

Louisiana's proposal includes a major expansion of Together Louisiana’s Community Lighthouse strategy, to build solar and storage resilience hubs in every enighborhood, which provide critical services to residents during disasters and extended power outages.

Power outages have emerged as the leading cause of death from disaster in Louisiana and across the Gulf South, resonsible for most of the deaths after Hurricanes Laura and Ida in 2020 and 2021. This summer in northwest Louisiana, hundreds of thousands of people suffered in sweltering heat after a storm knocked out power for over a week.

The federal funds are part of the Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) Program. DOE selected a collaborative, known as Hubs for Resilient Energy Operations (HERO), for award negotiations.

Beyond disaster recovery, the HERO project aims to create 875 new graduates of workforce training, pre-apprentice, and apprenticeship programs by 2030. In addition, it will include workforce development and apprenticeship programs within the contracting solicitations and awards.

Prior to the announcement, Together Louisiana’s regional organizations have been advancing throughout the state. Together New Orleans opened the first four as part of its pilot of 16 lighthouses. It plans to create a network of 86. North Louisiana Interfaith is piloting two lighthouses and plans to create a network of 20 in Caddo Parish. Together Baton Rouge has secured funding for its first three lighthouses and is raising funds for the next three. Other regions throughout the state are also working to launch pilot programs in the near term. The DEO investment will supercharge these efforts and enable a rapid, major expansion of resilience hubs throughout Louisiana.

Register now for a virtual rally on Saturday: togetherla.org/oct7

Join us for a Statewide Get Out the Vote Rally this Saturday, October 7th at 10am on Zoom.

Right now, early voter turnout is not looking good so far. But we can turn that around.

If you can help us, register at togetherla.org/oct7

Feel free to invite friends and family to join our rally!

Pledge to Vote at https://pledgetovote.la

Will you PLEDGE TO VOTE? 🚀🗳️

We have a unique opportunity to harness the power of our collective voice and make a profound impact on the future of Louisiana.

Pledge to Vote at https://pledgetovote.la

Pledge to Vote is a non-partisan campaign that does not support any particular candidate. The information you share will not be provided to any outside organization.

Thank you for your support - and more importantly, your pledge to vote!

Our statewide coalition is activating to submit public comment before today's 4:30 p.m. deadline!

Join us to share your comment on a draft rule that would end the practice of routine venting and flaring for many oil wells throughout Louisiana.

🚨TAKE ACTION TODAY BEFORE THE DEADLINE!🚨

The state has issued a draft rule that would end the practice of routine venting and flaring for many oil wells throughout Louisiana. They are deliberating on whether to adopt the rule as final and the deadline to submit public comment is TODAY BY 4:30 P.M.

Be heard and submit your comment now! It can be short and simple. Here are a few points to draw from, but please put things in your own words.

➡️ Right now there are virtually no limitations on routine venting and flaring of methane at oil wells

➡️ This rule will reduce toxic air pollution -- and why that's important to you.

➡️ The rule will help reduce methane gas emissions, which is one of the leading causes of climate change.

➡️ The rule would INCREASE state revenue, by preventing the waste through burning of over $16 million in methane gas per year. (That’s enough gas to fuel every household in Baton Rouge for over a year and a half!).

➡️ If anything, strengthen the rule to make sure the "economic hardship" exception is not used as a loophole.

📧 Submit your comment to: [email protected] and [email protected]

Together New Orleans Together Baton Rouge North Louisiana Interfaith Delta Interfaith Northern and Central Louisiana Interfaith Westside Sponsoring Committee

North Louisiana Interfaith leader Mr. Robert Handy of Mt. Canaan Baptist Church passed away on July 17th. His homegoing celebration will be Saturday, July 29 at 2 p.m. at Mt. Canaan.

Whether your power has returned or not, please take a moment to fill out this Needs Assessment Survey from North Louisiana Interfaith. We are connecting with emergency response teams to help them know where the need is still greatest. The survey lives at nlainterfaith.org/outagesurvey.

Survey to inform recovery North LA Interfaith has created this survey to identify the areas most impacted by storm damage and power outages. You can help by taking the survey below. Please share the link with your family, friends and neighbors. The survey lives at www.nlainterfaith.org/outagesurvey The information collected....

KSLA coverage of the Community Lighthouse vote at the Caddo Parish Commission:

Caddo agrees to put up $500,000 toward Community Lighthouse project Effort would establish “resiliency hubs” with solar power, emergency water supply

WE DID IT!☀️Community Lighthouses to begin shining across North Louisiana! ☀️

A crowd of North Louisiana Interfaith leaders erupted in applause as the Caddo Commission voted 8 to 4 yesterday to approve seed funding for two pilot locations at the Highland Center and Morning Star Baptist Church. These Community Lighthouses will serve as beacons of hope during crises, immediately assessing the needs of the community and providing vital assistance to area residents. Among the services offered are cooling and heating stations, charging stations, food distribution, ice, water, and other supplies and services.

"The approval of seed funding for the Community Lighthouse project is a significant milestone for our community," said Pastor Theron Jackson, a clergy leader with North Louisiana Interfaith. "This is an example of what’s possible when everyday people come together and work with government to achieve something for the greater good. Community Lighthouses will not only provide essential services but also foster a sense of unity and resilience within our neighborhoods."

“We are incredibly grateful to the Commissioners who voted to invest in this common-sense, sustainable solution to community resilience. They voted today to save lives, plain and simple,” he said.

The first two Community Lighthouses will cost some $1 million. North Louisiana Interfaith is providing $550,000 to match funds approved by the Parish: $250,000 from the oil and gas fund and $250,000 from federal American Rescue Plan Act funds. These funds will help fortify the parish’s infrastructure and ensure the safety of its residents during times of crisis.

Power outages have emerged as the leading cause of death after disasters in Louisiana. North Louisiana Interfaith, recognizing the urgent need for resilience and preparedness, has developed a comprehensive strategy to establish a network of 20 Community Lighthouses across Caddo Parish. These lighthouses will serve as resilience hubs, offering crucial assistance during power outages and safeguarding the well-being of area residents. Each lighthouse will have a well-trained volunteer Disaster Relief Team that will create a list of people to check on within twenty-four hours of a disaster.

🚨ACT NOW!!! 🚨Urge the Caddo Parish Commission to vote YES for Community Lighthouses on June 8! These solar-powered hubs will give area residents places to go when the power or water is out - to cool down, get food, charge phones and medical devices, and more.

SIGN UP NOW to add your name to a growing list of people in our community who want to this solution to prolonged power and water outages.

SIGN HERE: https://forms.gle/y3RiGtyBNEktsghg8

We are asking the Caddo Parish Commission for $500,000 in seed funding to build the first two sites in our pilot phase.

BUT WE need your help! It's going to take all of us! The vote at the commission is going to be very close, and we need to do everything possible to ensure a victory

Sign up to show your support before the vote on June 8th!
https://forms.gle/y3RiGtyBNEktsghg8

And Share and Like this Post!

https://www.ktbs.com/news/caddo-parish-to-vote-on-community-lighthouse-pilot-program/article_17736588-f390-11ed-988c-13336402f8a4.html
On June 8, the Caddo Parish Commission will vote on funding for two pilot locations of the Community Lighthouse Project, solar powered grid resilience hubs that allow citizens a place to get warm or cool and to charge phones and other devices. They will also be a source of portable batteries for medical devices that can be distributed as needed in the neighborhood. As Highland Center Executive Director Madison Poche states in this piece by KTBS, the leading cause of death in weather disasters is not wind, flooding, or ice, but power failures. This combination of a sustainable power source with an organized neighborhood volunteer base will save lives in our community. Caddo Parish residents, please call or email your Commissioners to urge them to support this project.

Caddo Parish to vote on Community Lighthouse Pilot Program SHREVEPORT, La. - An ordinance to fund two solar-powered disaster relief hubs will be voted on at the Caddo Parish Commission in early June.

The 40th Annual Shreveport-Bossier Holocaust Remembrance Service is this Sunday, April 16, at Zion Baptist Church, 3031 Hollywood, Shreveport. Chair of this year's Remembrance is Pastor Brady Blade, Sr.of Zion BC, and the guest speaker is Mr. Andras Lacko of the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum. More details in the flyer below.

It's REALLY HAPPENING today, folks! North Louisiana Interfaith will have a press conference on the Community Lighthouse Project, today, Monday, March 20, at 3 p.m. at Government Plaza, before the 3:30 work session of the Caddo Parish Commission.

UPDATE: POSTPONED two weeks to MONDAY, MARCH 6 at 3 p.m., before the Commission work session at 3:30. Watch this space for a new registration link and further news.
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Join us on Tuesday, February 21, at 3 p.m. for a press conference prior to the Caddo Parish Commission meeting where a motion will be introduced to grant $500,000 for our two local pilot projects for our Community Lighthouse strategy. Register for the press conference HERE, and please share with your institutions.
https://www.nlainterfaith.org/feb21

The Public Service Commission is live NOW, and Together Louisiana is presenting on the Community Lighthouse program, including Madison Poche and Rev. Theron Jackson from North Louisiana Interfaith. If you watch the recording, TLA is first on the agenda.

Louisiana Public Service Commission Live Stream Louisiana Public Service Commission Live StreamFebruary 16th, 2023

Join us on Sunday, December 4, as our annual celebration and fundraiser returns for the first time since 2019. Taste of Interfaith is an afternoon of great food, entertainment, door prizes, and fellowship as our member institutions and friends gather to celebrate our community, our achievements, and all the good work yet to come. Get a table or tables for your group, or purchase individual tickets HERE: https://www.nlainterfaith.org/

North Louisiana Interfaith

Join us this Tuesday, July 26, 6-7 p.m. at Mary Evergreen Leaves of Life Ministries, 6056 Greenwood Rd. in Shreveport, for a Strategy Meeting on the Home Energy Cost Reduction PIlot Project. This is the weatherization project you heard about at our Regional Assembly in June. Register for the meeting here, and we hope to see you Tuesday evening!

North LA Interfaith Home Energy Cost Reduction- Pilot Project Strategy Proposal Meeting Tuesday July 26th 6pm-7pm Mary Evergreen Leaves of Life Church 6056 Greenwood Rd, Shreveport, LA 71119

Join us this Tuesday, June 14 at 6:30 p.m. at Brown Chapel on Centenary's campus for a regional assembly celebrating the rebirth of North Louisiana Interfaith! Whether you bring a delegation from your congregation or organization, or just show up on your own to find out more, we look forward to seeing you there!

Senate | HAINKEL

The leaders of North Louisiana Interfaith wish to convey our deepest condolences to Rep Sam Jenkins on the death of his wife, Cynthia Hightower-Jenkins. Rep. Jenkins has been a friend of long standing to our organization, and we offer our prayers and wishes of comfort and healing for him and for all who loved her. As mentioned in the article below, a viewing will take place on Friday, August 6, from 3 to 7 p.m., and funeral services will be Saturday at noon. Both events will be at Shreveport Municipal Auditorium.
https://www.ksla.com/2021/07/30/well-known-shreveport-businesswoman-wife-state-rep-passes-away-suddenly/

Funeral arrangements announced for Cynthia Hightower-Jenkins KSLA News 12 is remembering Cynthia Hightower-Jenkins.

Shout out to Charlene Voorhies and all of our Together Louisiana canvassers working to improve our vaccination rate and stem the new surge of Covid 19.

Community Organizers Dispel COVID-19 Vaccine Fears With Door-to-Door Campaigns Amid a flurry of lotteries and giveaways to incentivize unvaccinated people to get the shot, some are betting that going door to door will be a more effective and personable approach

The Vaccine Equity Project is on the move once again, this time on Saturday, July 10, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. at the following locations:

Williams Memorial CME Temple
7288 Greenwood Road, Suite 101
Shreveport, LA 71119
(318) 424-0843

Lane Chapel CME Church
1007 Norma Ave.
Shreveport, LA 71103
(318) 670-3094

New Hill CME Church
8725 Springridge-Texas Line Road
Keithville, LA 71047
(318) 925-0529

Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson shots available, provided by Oschner - LSU Health Shreveport.
If you need transportation, please call the number above corresponding to your facility of choice, and iShuttle can come and pick you up, free of charge. (Please call at least 24 hours in advance if you need this service.)

No appointment needed.
Please bring a driver's license or state-issued ID.
Please wear short sleeves.
For ages 12 and up. (Anyone under 18 must have a parent or guardian's signed permission.)

For screen readers: Picture is of a colorful orange, white, and blue flyer on which is printed the information above. At the top of the page is a logo featuring the state of Louisiana and the words:
"Sleeves Up! Bring back Louisiana!" with a large orange exclamation point. Next to the logo are these words:
Your shot at $1,000,000!
Get your Covid 19 vaccine and enter for a chance to win cash and prizes at https://shotatamillion.com/ Sponsored by the Louisiana Dept of Heath.

Second shot vaccines this Sunday at Sacred Heart Church, 4736 Lyba Street, Shreveport, 12-2 p.m. in Gabriel Hall. (The building to the right of the church)
NO APPOINTMENT NEEDED. Shots available to all, 12 years and older. Bring a valid photo ID and your insurance card if you have one, but NO ONE WILL BE TURNED AWAY for lack of insurance.
Bring your VACCINE CARD if this is your second shot.
Shots available are Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson.
[For screen readers, photo features the Sacred Heart logo and the words, "The Little Church with the Big Heart" as well as all of the information above]

"These extractive industries have been extractive of the tax base, too. People realize it's too corrosive." - Greg LeRoy, Good Jobs First

One of the worst corporate subsidy programs in the nation is set to expire at the end of the year. Chapter 313, as it's referred to for its place in the tax code, cost the state billions in property taxes per year with few benefits for residents and communities.
Broderick Bagert, who helped organize the Louisiana effort, sees what happened in Texas as part of a turning of the tides in a region where industry has long ruled. “In a lot of cases, it’s not that these battles have been lost — they just haven’t been fought,” he told The Intercept. “What you’re seeing for the first time is the battles being fought.”
Said Good Jobs First's Greg LeRoy: “People aren’t persuaded by the dogma anymore that tax breaks create jobs. Too many people see that the emperor doesn’t have clothes anymore. These extractive industries have been extractive of the tax base too. People realize it’s too corrosive.”
https://www.goodjobsfirst.org/news/corporate-subsidy-quietly-dies-texas-topping-bad-week-big-oil
cc: Together Louisiana Every Texan

Good going,Together Louisiana!

Corporate Subsidy Quietly Dies in Texas — Topping Off Bad Week for Big Oil The end of the property tax exemption came as one of a series of blows heralding new public pushback against fossil fuels.

Vaccines are happening in Haughton today! Come get yours, or bring some friends who haven't gotten theirs.

Thanks to Charlene Voorhies and our Together Louisiana leaders for this great effort to get out and get more of our people vaccinated.

Together Louisiana: Canvassers going door-to-door to boost vaccination rates in Louisiana Canvassers are going door to door to boost vaccination percentages across the state.

Covid 19 Vaccinations Coming to Ho**er Park!
Ho**er Park MLK Center, 1520 Ho**er Park Drive, in Bossier City, will be the site for the Pfizer Covid 19 Vaccine administered by LSU Health Shreveport, this Saturday, May 22, from 2 to 5 p.m. Walk-ins are welcome.
Together Louisiana is canvassing the neighborhood to make sure that every resident who is not yet vaccinated is afforded the opportunity to register for the vaccine. The general public, 16 years and older, are invited. This joint collaboration of Together Louisiana and the Louisiana Department of Health is targeting areas with the lowest percentage of vaccinated citizens in Shreveport - Bossier, New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Alexandria, and Tallulah.

Together Louisiana is hiring neighborhood canvassers for the pilot phase of the Vaccine Equity Project -- a grassroots, door-to-door canvassing campaign to improve vaccine access and vaccine equity in low-income, low-vaccinated neighborhoods across Louisiana.

Positions are available in Alexandria, Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Shreveport and Northeast Louisiana and pay $15 per hour.

For more information about the project and this position, visit www.togetherla.org/positions

In addition to completing the information on the form, you may also send a cover letter and resume to [email protected].

A joint statement on Wednesday's events from the combined organizations of Together Louisiana.

TLA Statement For immediate release We the leaders of Together Louisiana are shocked and appalled at what happened at the Capitol Wednesday, January 6. The Capitol was disrespected and demeaned by violent actors who threatened the rights of every citizen who peaceably engages in the democratic proces...

Please join us on January 12 at 6:30 p.m. via Zoom for this important program on the Redistricting Process in Louisiana, co-sponsored by the League of Women Voters and the Shreveport Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.
Register HERE: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUpc-2oqDIuH9M59_71GEWGEmQR9YFE3YA2
After you register, you will receive a confirmation email containing a link to join the meeting.

As we approach the coming year, Louisiana will be busy with redistricting. Please join us for a virtual Louisiana Redistricting informational meeting via Zoom and invite others to share. It is absolutely necessary that redistricting efforts by public officials reflects "People Powered Fair Maps". The meeting will be held on Tuesday, January 12, 2021 at 6:30pm. Please use this link to register in advance:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUpc-2oqDIuH9M59_71GEWGEmQR9YFE3YA2

We are saddened to announce the death of Superintendent Charles Stevenson, pastor of Bethel Church of God in Christ Monroe. Superintendent Stevenson and Bethel COGIC were founding members of Northern and Central Louisiana Interfaith and the first IAF affiliate in northern Louisiana. Interfaith made history by crossing the lines of race, class, religion and party-affiliation to win significant victories in pre-dominantly black south Monroe. The first major achievement was getting a ditch covered that created a hazard for children walking to school. The ditch was on a busy thoroughfare and kids had to walk in the street. For fifteen years efforts had been made by leaders on the southside to have the ditch closed. The first issue Monroe Interfaith leaders worked on was the closing of that ditch. Pastors of white congregations and Rabbi David Kline joined black pastors in a meeting with city and school board officials, demanding the ditch be closed, and it was. When clergy learned that funds to build a new gym at Carroll Junior High were to be diverted to something else, Rabbi Kline standing with Superintendent Stevenson and other black pastors told the school superintendent "our children deserve to have a state-of-the art gym and we will not accept cosmetic changes". The old gym was torn down and a new one built. Rabbi Kline and Superintendent Stevenson became good friends and exchanged pulpits on several occasions. Bethel leaders worked to create New Opportunities Vision Achievement (NOVA), a job readiness initiative that has moved low-wage workers into good paying jobs over the past ten years. And Together Louisiana exists because pioneers like Superintendent Stevenson were willing to cross the lines of race, religion and geography to build relationships with white pastors in Monroe. We will miss that great smile and beautiful laugh! Our prayers and thoughts go out to his church and family.

And again, check the North Louisiana names on the "Yea" list. Completely out of step and out of touch!

Check the North Louisiana names on the list of Yeas!