Covington Weekly » Blog Archives

Tag Archives: non-profit spotlight

Non Profit Spotlight

YSB Crossroads & The Louisiana Bar Foundation: Tackling Juvenile Delinquency Together

Published by:

From the Youth Service Bureau:

Helping non-violent juvenile offenders turn their lives around is one of Youth Service Bureau’s main missions. YSB carries out this important work through Crossroads, our juvenile delinquency intervention program.

YSB Crossroads helps youth restore their relationship with the community through restitution to victims, community service, anger management counseling, Internet safety education, parenting education for their parents or legal guardians and – thanks to the Louisana Bar Foundation – Law Related Education.

Supported by a generous grant from the Louisiana Bar Foundation, Law Related Education puts juvenile offenders on a more positive track through better understanding of the law, legal system, and consequences of crime. Aimed at 10- to 16-year-olds who have committed non-violent offenses such as shoplifting, vandalism and others, these classes help juvenile offenders take responsibility for their actions and make better decisions.

Law Related Education incorporates classroom lectures, role-playing and testing. Juvenile offenders learn the legal definitions and potential sentences associated with assault, battery, vandalism, burglary, robbery, theft, drug possession, cyberbullying, cyberstalking and other offenses. Louisiana Bar Foundation funding enables YSB Crossroads to staff and administer the program and work closely with clients to improve their outcomes. YSB Crossroads is fortunate to have local attorneys teaching our Law Related Education classes – Shannon Christian (at our Slidell location) and Veronica Kittok (Covington location).

An eye-opening segment of the course is “No Kinda Life,” a video filmed at the Louisiana State Penitentiary in Angola and the Louisiana Correctional Institute for Women in St. Gabriel. “No Kinda Life” presents an unflinching picture of prison life, with inmates explaining how they became incarcerated and losses they suffered due to poor choices, including drug and alcohol use. The video is a powerful springboard for meaningful class discussion and group participation.

Together, the Louisiana Bar Foundation and YSB Crossroads are changing lives.

In the last fiscal year:

  • 97.7% of YSB Crossroads clients completed their community service
  • 96% successfully completed the YSB Crossroads program
  • 99.5% of those completing the program had not re-offended six months later

YSB Crossroads is deeply grateful to the Louisiana Bar Foundation for making this life-changing resource available to our community. The Louisiana Bar Foundation exists to preserve, honor, and improve our system of justice. YSB is humbled and excited to be a partner in that vital mission.

Visit Youth Service Bureau to find out more about what we do!

Click here to learn more about the Louisiana Bar Foundation.

Non Profit Spotlight

Northshore Food Bank Shares Impacts from 2020 Pandemic

Published by:

Last week, Northshore Food Bank shared some of the impacts the COVID-19 pandemic had on the organization and the community. The Food Bank also opened a new, expanded Resale Shop last year, a place to sell donated housewares, clothing and other items with proceeds benefiting the Food Bank. A survey aimed to gather feedback from the public on the new Resale Shop can be found here. The survey can be taken even if you have not visited the shop yet!

From Northshore Food Bank:

2020 was an unprecedented year in so many ways. This week we will share some of the numbers that demonstrate not only the increased need for food on the Northshore, but also how our community has supported us to ensure families in need are fed.

  • At the beginning of the pandemic, we recognized the need for additional food for kids when the schools closed early. Emergency kid packs were distributed from March until school started again in the fall, and again over the winter holiday break.
  • Through our Community Cupboard we have expanded our reach, providing food assistance to households that cannot come to us.
  • For the first time ever, we distributed enough food to provide over 1 Million Meals in one year.
  • By the end of September, we had already reached the one million pounds benchmark; this is a volume we might typically reach by the end of the year or fall just under it.

Did you know that by shopping and donating to our Resale Shop that you help feed families on the Northshore? All net proceeds directly go to operating the food bank.

We would love your thoughts on our Resale Shop. Your input could help feed even more families on the Northshore. Take our brief survey: http://bit.ly/3b8PqT7

Learn more at northshorefoodbank.org

Read more:
Northshore Food Bank Plays An Essential Role in Fighting Hunger During COVID-19
Northshore Food Bank’s Resale Shop Has New Location
How to Host a Food Drive for Northshore Food Bank
Non Profit Spotlight

How to Host a Food Drive for Northshore Food Bank

Published by:

St. Paul’s High School Food Drive for Northshore Food Bank

Each year, the Northshore Food Bank distributes over 1 million pounds of food to the residents of St. Tammany and Washington parishes. This year the Food Bank saw an increase of more than 110% in the number of individuals and families they serve due to COVID.

You can help the Northshore Food Bank’s fight to end hunger! Hosting a Food Drive is an easy way for you and your community to get involved.

From the Northshore Food Bank:

Food drives play a vital role in helping us to serve those in need in our community. You can make a major impact by organizing a food drive on our behalf.

About 1/3 of our yearly food collection comes from individual donations and community food drives.

The goal of food drives is to bring in as many non-perishable essential items as possible to help us fill our nutritionally sound “staple boxes” distributed to Food Bank participants. There are a number of resources we can offer to help organize your food drive and make it successful, such as:

  • customizable electronic flyers you can print out and hang to promote your drive
  • a “Most Needed” items list to share with your group so they can donate needed products
  • large collection boxes and brown grocery bags to collect donated items
  • we offer pick-up service for any collections too large to fit in a pick up truck

For more information on how to host a food drive or to request supplies or schedule a pick up, please contact Ginger Kunkle, Community Engagement Manager, at 985.327.0044 or gkunkle@northshorefoodbank.org.

Visit northshorefoodbank.org to learn more and register to host your own Food Drive.

Read more about how you can give back this holiday season:

Donation Opportunities for the Covington Community
Non Profit Spotlight

Thanksgiving Donations at Northshore Humane Society

Published by:

From Northshore Humane Society:

The holidays are a time for love and laughter with your family and friends. It is a time to reflect and be thankful for all that you have. And while Thanksgiving, in particular, is a day you usually eat too much and watch football, it is so much more! Thanksgiving is a day to come together around one table and share how thankful we are for the many blessings in our lives.

Dodger at NHS

On Thanksgiving you and your loved ones gather, your beloved companion by your side. As you prepare the turkey and the green bean casserole, remember there are many animals in our community less fortunate than yours. Many homeless dogs and cats roam the streets in search of their next meal.

Northshore Humane Society rescues thousands of neglected and abandoned animals each year. But we can’t do it alone. Together we can save even more!

For the price of a movie ticket, $13.90, you can provide food to an animal in need for an entire month. Together we can make Thanksgiving Day special for a homeless dog or cat. Your special gift will give an innocent animal the second chance and loving family they have always deserved.

This Thanksgiving, ghostwriting master thesis logic thesis how to write good college essay application see biology coursework help cause and effect of air pollution essay https://abt.edu/bestsellers/consequences-de-viagra/22/ viagra for sale us follow what is the difference between crestor and lovastatin see url buy email link viagra how to stop viagra effect is there any help for obtaining nexium from drug company cialis e preservativo ritardante report writing example for school examples of persuasive writing for children https://energy-analytics-institute.org/freefeatures/authorship-of-shakespeare-essay-introduction/56/ bill of rights amendments essays go here definition essay about bullying origin of the name viagra https://businesswomanguide.org/capstone/thesis-statements-for-psychology-papers/22/ follow site viagra espaa foro follow url essay on global warming in tamil side effects.zip https://thejeffreyfoundation.org/newsletter/owl-purdue-thesis-statement/17/ https://lawdegree.com/questions/coursework-completion-system/46/ essays on the great depression ben bernanke please give back to those less fortunate than yourself.

Donate Here

Local Events Non Profit Spotlight

Local Beer & Bites Crawl Supports Covington Boys & Girls Club – Tickets SOLD OUT

Published by:

boys and girls club
boys and girls club

Like many nonprofit organizations in the greater New Orleans area, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeast Louisiana and the youth they serve have been dramatically impacted by COVID-19. Our community continues to face unprecedented times, but your support can help kids that need critical support.

The Covington Boys & Girls Club has made several adjustments to adapt to changes since COVID, including wellness checks, free meals and virtual learning classes. With the help of various donors, Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeast Louisiana have provided financial relief to families in need.
The Covington Boys & Girls Club is back open for afterschool programming, seeing about 22 children a day. They provide free meals for all Club members, both a snack and dinner, averaging about 220 meals per week. They are also still offering free meals to anyone experiencing food insecurity in the Covington area, whether they are involved in the Club or not.

This Wednesday, supporting the Boys & Girls Club of Covington is as easy as strolling around downtown Covington, tasting beer and eating bites. It’s the 4th Annual Oxtober Fest event with a twist – a Beer & Bites Stroll starting at the Covington Trailhead and meandering through the many participating local restaurants. The event benefits the Covington Boys & Girls Club.

Tickets are SOLD OUT for the inaugural Beer & Bites Stroll! If you didn’t get a chance to get them, you can still donate to the Covington Boys & Girls Club or learn how you can volunteer here.

Mayor Mark has this to say about the Boys & Girls Club:

“As we know, not all families in our community are able to offer strong parenting. Some children do not receive the structure, the values nor the attention that most of us did as youngsters. At or around the age of 9, 10 or 11, some of these children begin to receive more attention from the streets than from their family. By the age of 13, the bad guys have become their family. This is a bad thing.
“Here in Covington, we are blessed with a strong and active Boys and Girls Club. Our school buses drop students off directly from school. A snack, a safe place and some help with homework helps fill a gap. The Club becomes their family. This is a good thing.
“Sometimes supporting the community is as simple as buying the ticket, eating the eats and drinking the drinks. This Wednesday is one of those times.”

Pet of the Week

Adoptable Pet of the Week

Published by:

Northshore Humane Society’s Adoptable Pet of the Week:

Ryan

Ryan is a two-year-old pup who was found homeless in Slidell and brought to Northshore Humane Society. This sweet, bashful guy enjoys attention from both humans and other canines. His hobbies include giving kisses to the animal care staff in the mornings, sunbathing in the afternoons and curling up in a big, comfy bed in the evenings. Ryan is such a great pup and deserves his second chance today!

If you are interested in adopting Ryan or any of the animals at Northshore Humane Society, visit northshorehumane.org today!

Upcoming: Northshore Humane Society Offers Low Cost Vaccines for Pets in BOO-steron Event

November 30th, Northshore Humane Society’s community veterinary clinic is offering low cost vaccines through their BOO-sterthon packages! Canine and feline annual vaccinations can be purchased for only $75! The $75 package includes a heartworm test for dogs and deworming for kitties. Clients can also add a full exam for only $25 more. Microchipping and prevention will be available for purchase. Learn more here:

Northshore Humane Society Offers Low Cost Vaccines for Pets in BOO-steron Event
Local Events Non Profit Spotlight

4th Annual NAMIWalks St. Tammany Goes Virtual

Published by:

For the past three years, NAMI St. Tammany has populated the beautiful Mandeville Lakefront with hundreds of walkers, showing support for mental health awareness, advocacy, and support, growing larger each year.

With the impacts of COVID-19, our daily lives and routines have been interrupted, leaving uncertainty, anxiety, added stress and often depression. Many individuals living with a mental illness are struggling to maintain their recovery while others are experiencing mental health symptoms for the first time. We are just beginning to see the impacts of COVID-19 on mental health. Now, more than ever, we want to show our community during the pandemic that “You are not alone.”

Unable to rally as usual this year, we have chosen to bring our 4th Annual NAMIWalks St. Tammany event to a virtual platform. On Saturday, October 10th, NAMI St. Tammany joins over 70 NAMIWalks virtual events across the country uniting for “A National Day of Hope” to show solidarity in our mission to increase awareness for mental health and recovery.

A Virtual Walk means you get to choose how you want to participate. How do you practice self-care? Take a walk around your neighborhood, share your story on social media, or host a virtual yoga party. Get creative to show your advocacy and support.

We invite everyone to join us, wherever you are, to remind our community that mental health matters and resources are available to help. Together we will continue to work toward our goal of #MentalHealthforAll.

Saturday, October 10th – NAMIWalks St. Tammany Online

Register for free or donate at: www.namiwalks.org/sttammany.
For more information, call (985)626-6538 or email walks@namisttammany.org

To learn more about NAMI St. Tammany, the resources we provide to the community, or to get involved, visit our website at namisttammany.org.

Local Events Non Profit Spotlight

Ultimate Tailgate Party Drive-Thru/Take-Out on the 22nd

Published by:

Exchange Club Hosts 10th Annual Fundraising Event
August 22, 2020 from 4pm to 7pm

From the Exchange Club of West St. Tammany – Over the past 9 years the Exchange Club of West St. Tammany has given over $400,000 back to our Community with your help! This year the game is a little different. When the whole Community is impacted those less fortunate get impacted even more, especially the Youth! Exchange Club’s Ultimate Tailgate Party is a fundraiser designed to fund programs that assist these Youth, so this year we need your help more than ever, they need your help!

Tailgate BBQ, Advocates, and Sports fans alike, please join the Exchange Club to raise money for the Children and Families of Our Northshore with this year’s To-Geaux BBQ Meal Drive-Thru Fundraiser. Your choice of a Rib, Pulled Pork, or Chicken BBQ meal with two sides or you can even feed the Family with a deal including all three meats and sides!

The event has a focus on a large online auction ranging from small gift baskets to high value trips and event tickets, the contributions will go to our two annual beneficiaries, CAC Hope House and the YSB’s CASA Program along with UTP X beneficiary, the Miracle League NORTHSHORE.

To show our appreciation to our sponsors, the Exchange Club will hold a Post-Event Beneficiary Celebration to distribute funds to beneficiaries for their various projects that greatly impact the Children of the Northshore. We look forward to a successful 10th Annual Ultimate Tailgate Party!

Buy tickets or learn more: ultimatetailgateparty.org

Non Profit Spotlight

24 New Badges Prepare Girl Scouts to Be Ambitious and Decisive Leaders

Published by:

Girl Scouts Louisiana East and Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) today announced 24 new badges designed to help girls practice ambitious leadership in the crucial areas of automotive engineering, STEM career exploration, entrepreneurship, and civics, many of which remain male-dominated. In a year of unprecedented global change, our country’s need for strong, broad-minded, and decisive leadership has never been greater. Through new and existing programming, Girl Scouts equips the next generation of female change-makers with the breadth of knowledge, skills, and experiences they need to take charge and do good for the world, both now and in the future.

The new Girl Scout badges include:

STEM Career Exploration (grades 2–8). Girls explore their career interests and connect them to STEM fields—particularly computer science, nature/environmental science, engineering, design, health, and agriculture—that can help them address the pressing issues of our time and change the world. The IF/THEN® Collection, a free, downloadable digital asset library of real-life women in STEM, is an integral component of the badges. The dearth of women in STEM fields is well documented, but data shows that girls are more interested in a STEM career when they learn how they can use it to help people, demonstrating the value of Girl Scouts’ unique approach. Funded by IF/THEN, an initiative of Lyda Hill Philanthropies.

Automotive Engineering (grades K–5). Girls learn about designing, engineering, and manufacturing vehicles, as well as the future of mobility. They design their own vehicles, test prototypes, learn about design thinking, create their own assembly line manufacturing process, and more. Only 13% of engineers are women, underscoring the need for these badges which will introduce more girls to the field. Funded by General Motors.

Civics (grades K–12). Girls gain an in-depth understanding of how local, state, and federal government works, preparing them to be voters, activists, and even political leaders. They research laws and how they’re created, voting, and the electoral college, the representation of women in government, and more. They also research their own government officials and are encouraged to meet them. Just 24% of eighth-graders are proficient in civics, and only two in five American adults can name the three branches of U.S. government, highlighting the need for these badges. Funded by the Citi Foundation.

Steady leadership is essential during a crisis such as COVID-19, from fostering trust and showing compassion, to managing challenges with agility, to evaluating outcomes of decisions. The Girl Scout program is proven to develop strong and effective leaders—among many positive outcomes, Girl Scouts are much likelier than non-Girl Scouts to take an active role in decision making (80% vs. 51%), which is a critical aspect of leadership.

“As soon as Girl Scouts in southeastern Louisiana heard the news of the pandemic, they took action collecting food for food banks, donating cookies to healthcare workers, and sewing masks for first responders,” says Rebecca Pennington, CEO of Girl Scouts Louisiana East, “Girl Scouts equips girls with the leadership skills, entrepreneurial minds, and self-confidence to tackle any challenge they are faced with, including a national pandemic.”

“Now more than ever, it’s critical that we have strong leaders who can make informed decisions that make the world a better, safer place,” said GSUSA CEO Sylvia Acevedo. “During our current health crisis, the world leaders who have been among the most decisive and effective in addressing the pandemic have been women. With these new badge experiences in STEM, entrepreneurship, and the critically important subject of civics, Girl Scouts is continuing to build the transformational female leaders of today and the future and showing girls the power they have to truly change the world.”

Girl Scouts has made free self-guided activities from select new and existing programming available digitally to the public through Girl Scouts at Home™, keeping families engaged and connected to their communities. Girls can further engage with the badges and topics through online videos, activities, or special live virtual events. Members can access a suite of Girl Scouts’ programming digitally through the Volunteer Toolkit, including troop meeting plans and other resources to help girls earn badges and awards.

In addition, beginning this summer, all councils will also have the opportunity to host their own Girl Scout Cyber Challenge sponsored by Raytheon Technologies, enabling middle and high school girls to learn crucial cybersecurity skills as they compete in challenges such as running traceroutes and identifying phishing schemes. The Cyber Challenge prepares girls to pursue careers in computer science and cybersecurity.

To join or volunteer, visit www.girlscouts.org/join.

Girl Scouts Louisiana East is the an organization for leadership development of girls, grades K to 12, in 23 parishes of southeast Louisiana. Chartered by Girl Scouts of the USA, GSLE serves more than 10,200 girls, with 3,400 adult members. Girl Scouts offers every girl a chance to practice a lifetime of leadership, adventure, and success. To volunteer, reconnect, donate, or join, visit www.gsle.org.

Non Profit Spotlight

Non-Profit Spotlight: Boys & Girls Club Continues Community Aid Programs

Published by:

Since 1965, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeast Louisiana has been a leading provider of both after-school and summer enrichment programs focused on serving disadvantaged youth ages 6 – 18. We are a local 501(c)3 nonprofit and rely on the generosity of local donors, partners, and supporters. Annually we serve over 4,000 youth across Southeast Louisiana ranging from New Orleans to the Westbank, Slidell, and of course our local Club in Covington! Over 70% of the youth we serve are ages 12 and under and over 70% of our youth come from single-parent households. We not only provide education and educational resources, we provide mentorship via our Club Staff and volunteers, nutritious meals, life-enhancing programs, preparation into early-adulthood, and more.

Our Mission is to enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, and responsible citizens. If anyone would like more information about the Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeast Louisiana or want info on how to get involved whether that’s through a donation or volunteering, you can find our website at: www.bgcsela.org.

Here are the updates and changes that we’ve implemented in response to COVID-19:

Like many nonprofit organizations in the greater New Orleans area, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeast Louisiana and the youth we serve have been dramatically impacted by COVID-19. Our community continues to face unprecedented times, but your support can help kids that need critical support. Our Mission remains the same, the only thing that has changed is our delivery. Here’s what we’ve been doing:

• COVID-19 Financial Relief: To date, and with the help of various donors, we have been able to provide $29,300 in COVID-19 relief to our families in need. This has been distributed in the form of Rouses Gift Cards, Chevron Gas Cards, and direct rent / mortgage relief.

• Direct Family Contact and well-being checks: We contacted every single one of our youth and families that we serve to check in on them and to offer assistance through this challenging time. We continue to provide links to emergency EBT benefits for children, locations of food banks and online learning modules to assist parents who are now being tasked to operate as full-time teachers while their kids are home. We continue to call our families weekly.

• Grab & Go Meals: We have partnered with Second Harvest Food Bank and are providing Grab & Go Meals at two of our Club locations, Slidell and Westbank. In Covington we serve meals through Solutions of Folsom, distributed from 9 – 12 at Faith Bible Church on Columbia Street. We are staffed on-site distributing both lunch and dinner to those in need. Individuals who show up do not need to be members of BGCSELA or have their children enrolled in our programs to qualify for a free meal.

• Virtual Programming and Online Learning: Beginning the first week of June, we launched our virtual programming and education curriculum available to all our youth. Club Directors are creating great video content to engage our youth, we even have at home workouts and DIY STEM labs from home. Additionally, every week our Club Directors are jumping on Zoom with our Youth to further engage them in discussion around the week’s topics as well as encourage them to interact with other youth from the safety of their home. This is in large-part due to our partnership with Chevron who has been an outstanding community partner in our efforts to switch to virtual.

Love Boys & Girls Club? Learn more, get involved or donate at www.bgcsela.org or follow on Facebook.

Non Profit Spotlight

Northshore Food Bank Plays An Essential Role in Fighting Hunger During COVID-19

Published by:

Northshore Food Bank is open for operation and here to serve both our regular recipients and anyone who might find themselves in need of food assistance right now. During the COVID-19 crisis, we have experienced a more than 110% record growth increase in the number of individuals and families we serve.

Prior to the health crisis, the Food Bank served approximately 940 households monthly. Now, we are providing help to an average of 2,000 households each month. We do not anticipate this need to decrease in the foreseeable future. While our community is slowly reopening, our neighbors are still in need – the hospitality industry is still in questionable difficulty, small businesses are still struggling and many individuals are still not able to return to work.

Help us continue to meet the demand by donating our most needed items: Breakfast Cereal; Oatmeal; Canned Fruit; Canned Meat; Peanut Butter; Dried Beans; Cornbread Mix

Northshore Food Bank has served the Northshore community since 1984 by providing access to basic needs. Serving close to 300 families each week from St Tammany and Washington parishes and distributing approximately 80,000 pounds of food monthly through need-based programs, the Food Bank tirelessly works to achieve its mission of a hunger-free Northshore.

For more information on how to Give Help or Get Help, please visit: www.northshorefoodbank.org
Or follow us on Facebook @northshorefoodbank

Local Events Local News Non Profit Spotlight

Rockin’ the Rails at the Covington Trailhead features Eden Brent This Thursday

Published by:

Eden Brent

Eden Brent

Blending jazz, blues, soul and pop, Mississippi native Eden Brent takes the stage at this week’s Rockin’ the Rails. Her piano playing and singing style ranges from an emotional whisper to a full-blown juke joint holler. She’s both confident and confiding, ably blending an earthy meld of jazz, blues, soul, and pop as she huskily invites listeners into her lazy, lush world.

Rockin’ the Rails is held every Thursday in October at the Covington Trailhead from 5 – 7:30 pm.

covla.com

rockintherails1015

Local Events Local News Non Profit Spotlight

CBA General Meeting Tonight At The English Tea Room

Published by:

Covington Business Association CBAThe first CBA Meeting of 2014 will take place Wednesday evening at 5:30 p.m. at the English Tea Room (corner of Florida and Rutland).  The mission of the Covington Business Association is to promote and support the growth of local business in Covington.  On the agenda is an overview of Saint Scholastica Academy’s proposed construction of a new gymnasium.  Feedback from the CBA membership regarding this proposal is requested.  Other upcoming 2014 events include A Taste of Covington and Spring For Art.  All CBA members are encouraged to attend, and all non-CBA members are encouraged to join!

To learn more about the CBA, check their website www.covingtonbusinessassociation.org.

Local Events Local News Non Profit Spotlight Shop Local

Gulf Coast Bank’s Auctions in August: Charity Benefit Event

Published by:

Gulf Coast Bank's Auctions in August Charity EventIn the past 5 years, Gulf Coast Bank has raised over $400,000 for more than 350 local, state-wide and national charities and schools.  Gulf Coast Bank has always been active in their community, so they devote an entire month to extend these charitable efforts by involving the community through “Auctions In August”.  This is a silent auction that runs the entire month of August.  Items are available for bidding at each of their 16 branches, as well as online.  The auction is open to everyone, bank employees, customers and the general public.  Donations were made by local businesses and individuals, each donor was able to choose the charity they wished the sale of their item to benefit.  Please check out the website for more information on the auction, and to see the items available.

www.AuctionsInAugust.com

Local Events Local News Non Profit Spotlight

3rd Annual West St. Tammany Exchange Club Ultimate Tailgate Party

Published by:

exchangeclubtailgate2 The Exchange Club of West St. Tammany will host their third annual “Ultimate Tailgate Party” on Saturday, August 17, 2013 at the Tchefuncte Country Club in Covington.  The event will once again feature an LSU-Saints theme and provide some of the finest BBQ in the area.  The BBQ competition will include winners in beef, chicken, ribs and pork as well as Grand Champion.  Music will be provided by “Four Unplugged”, and the event will also include live and silent auctions.

Ticket prices are $75.00 each, which includes drinks, beer, cocktails and all the BBQ you can handle.  Sponsorships are also available for as little as $350.  The Exchange Club’s mission is the prevention of child abuse.  The Danielle Inn will be this year’s primary beneficiary, the Hope House, and S.T.O.P.S. (St. Tammany Outreach for the Prevention of Suicide) will also benefit.  Auction items are shown here:  biddingforgood.com/UTP.  Find more information and order tickets online at www.sttammanyexchange.org.

Farmers Market Recipes General Healthy Living Local Events Local News Non Profit Spotlight Shop Local

This Week at the Farmers Market by Charlene LeJeune

Published by:

From Grow.Farm, click to learn more

From Grow.Farm, click to learn more

Good afternoon, friends, and Happy Wednesday! Is the summer really half gone already? Maybe I should think positively – we have half the summer left to enjoy! I know you’re all ready for another sensational week at the market. Our vendors are all ready too! Come and indulge in a wonderful, satisfying Wednesday lunch with us.

This Saturday, you’ll find yourself tapping your toes to the delightful music of The Low Amps. Enjoy a cup of coffee or kombucha while you munch some of Nanette’s wonderful raw treats. Energized? Now you are ready to shop! This week, market vendor and chef, Austin Smith of Pastazz will prepare samples of small ravioli with parsley and basil oil and rustic tomato sauce. If you haven’t tried his pastas, ravioli, or dinner rolls yet, now is the time. Large ravioli with spinach, cream cheese and yard eggs will be available for sale.

It was soooo good to be back at the Market last weekend! I miss so much when I’m gone. I found that we have two new vendors with (naturally) incredible foods and next weekend we will have a new produce vendor. Robin makes spicy pepper jellies. Now, I know you’re thinking to yourself, how many different ways can you fix pepper jelly (I know ‘cause I was thinking that myself). Amazingly, Robin has lots of flavors ranging from Strawberry Daiquiri to Blackberry Cabernet to Red Onion and lots of ways of cooking with them. She was telling me about using different flavors when grilling, for example, pineapple for grilling chicken or shrimp. It sounds so yummy – it’s on my list for next week. I’m not sure which I’ll choose, though.

I also checked out a new pie vendor, Windowsill Pies. Nicole has some beautiful pies that are very reminiscent of those pies you see on the windowsills in the movies. During the summer, you can choose from Blueberry Lavender Honey to Strawberry Marguerita Chiffon Tart to Passionfruit Raspberry tart. Don’t they sound absolutely too good to be true? You won’t know if you don’t check it out for yourself.

I saw Southy at Nick’s tent on Saturday, surveying the butternut squash.  It is a variety of butternut squash that has a richer flavor. I’ll bet that means Southy will have some delightful cool summer soup this week. The butternut squash got me to thinking about a recipe idea from last year – butternut squash lasagna! Last year, I used this to stuff manicotti with delicious results but a pain in the tushie to prepare. I peeled, seeded and diced the squash, tossed with a little Nuccio’s Cajun olive oil (the Garlic would be great as well) and popped them into a 350° oven to roast until tender. Then I browned the ground pork that I got from Justin. When the meat was browned, I added chopped banana peppers, onion and garlic and cooked it down until the onions were clear. Then mix in the roasted squash. In a casserole dish, put a layer of the squash mixture, next a little grated cheese from Farmhouse Dairy or Mauthe’s Dairy. A layer of lasagna noodles will go next followed by some avocado salsa from Spanish R Us. Repeat those layers one more time, finish with cheese, and bake. Nick, save me some of those squash!

We had such a terrific time this past week and so many great treats to be had. Gee, we’d hate for you to miss out. Don’t just pencil us in…be there!

Lots of love,

Charlene LeJeune
Abundant Life Kitchen

The Covington Farmers’ Market is open each Wednesday, rain or shine, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Covington Trailhead, 419 N. New Hampshire and every Saturday from 8a.m. to 12p.m. on the side lawn of the Covington Police Station, 609 N. Columbia St. Call (985) 892-1873 for information or visit www.covingtonfarmersmarket.org

 

 

Local Events Local News Non Profit Spotlight Shop Local

Covington Business Association Meeting Wednesday, July 10th at Our Place Studio

Published by:

Covington Business Association This month’s CBA meeting is at Our Place Studio, 6 pm with a 5:30 reception, at the corner of Vermont and Gibson.  The CBA is dedicated to promoting the interests of local business.  Remember to shop local!

General Healthy Living Local News Non Profit Spotlight

Tips for Litter Prevention from KAB

Published by:

www.kab.org

www.kab.org

What can you do to prevent litter? Here are a few tips from Keep America Beautiful’s website, www.kab.org:

Set an example for others, especially family, co-workers, friends, and children by using trash receptacles and recycling bins.  Keep a bag for trash in your car. Do not throw  litter out of vehicle windows.

If you are a smoker, carry and use a portable or pocket ashtray. Before you light up, identify a proper receptacle where you will dispose of your cigarette waste when you finish smoking.  Encourage fellow smokers to be responsible for their litter.

Make sure your trash cans have lids that can be securely fastened or use bungee cords to hold them in place. Secure all bags and use twine to secure loose trash for curbside trash collection. Tie paper into bundles before placing into curbside recycling bins.  If you see litter, pick it up.

Business Owners – provide ash and trash receptacles at entrances, exits, loading docks, picnic areas as well as in parking lots and along walkways of your business. Assure easy access to dumpsters by employees and contractors, and cover all open loads on trucks leaving your business.

Changing a common behavior, like littering, starts with you. Each person must accept responsibility for their actions and influence the actions of others around them at home, at school, in places of business, and in the community at large. Choose not to litter. Make the commitment now to join with thousands of other Americans to not be a litter-bug.  Volunteer in your community to help prevent and cleanup litter!

Local Events Local News Non Profit Spotlight

June is Adopt-A-Shelter Cat Month

Published by:

Adopt a Shelter Cat MonthThe American Humane Society encourages you to adopt a cat in the month of June.  The St. Tammany Humane Society has many animals looking for good homes. If you are thinking about adopting a cat, consider taking two.  Be sure to prepare for your new pet by locating a veterinarian and budgeting for short and long term costs.  Visit www.sthumane.org for more information.

Farmers Market Recipes Healthy Living Local Events Local News Non Profit Spotlight Shop Local

This Week at the Farmers Market by Charlene LeJeune

Published by:

Happy Wednesday, friends! We’re looking forward to a great day at the market full of music and fresh veggies and good food.
Mr. Houston and Marietta will have gorgeous potatoes, zucchini, squash, eggs and more. Kandi’s decadent Shrimp and Cre…am Cheese Rolls or Fresh Summer Rolls, not to mention her delightful Noodle Salad, are sure to be a hit with your tummy. Roma’s Tandoori Chicken or Curried Chicken Wraps are incredible. You can always count on delicious authentic Honduran food from Spanish R Us or a scrumptious raw vegetable wrap from Nanette.
Oh where, oh where has the week gone? Before you know it we’ll be waking up to a glorious Saturday morning. Time for a delicious cup of coffee, a vanilla custard (Hot Tamale Mama) with granola on top (Windfield, Teresa’s Italian, 7Grain) and toe-tappin’ tunes from The Grocery Clerks beginning at 9:00. Keith and Nealy Frentz will drive their Food Truck, Lola Deux, to the market and there will be Parmesan Fries at the market again! Yeah!

Slice of Heaven Farm's table at the Covington Farmers Market

Slice of Heaven Farm’s table at the Covington Farmers Market

The assortment of veggies is growing; isn’t summer wonderful – and tasty?! I found a wonderful zucchini bread recipe (at the end of the email) that looks delicious and easy. I’ll have to try it this week. I’ll bet you can substitute yellow squash and never know the difference. There are a few new things at the market this week. Patty has Baklava and Mediterranean pickles (cabbage, cauliflower) in addition to her spicy Cajun pickles. Crystal (Betty Rue) offers pizza made with basil pesto, caramelized onions, and artichoke hearts on a gluten free sourdough crust… it looks so yummy! Over by the oak tree, there are blueberry plants for sale. Wouldn’t it be nice to have your own blueberry “orchard”? Think of the possibilities. Hmmmm.
Now, as you know, I’ve been on a serious diet – again – but my fortitude was sorely tested this past weekend with a new vendor – ICE CREAM! Ice cream even tops cookies on my goodie list. Flippin’ Amazin’ (that’s the name) doesn’t make just any ice cream but a smooth and creamy delight made with Mauthe’s cream cheese. Cream cheese has to be my all time favorite ice cream and to add to my dilemma, Flippin’ Amazin’s booth is right by mine – Oh the Humanity!! Cookies and cream cheese, homemade sweet pepper jelly and cream cheese, blueberry cheesecake, peanut butter and banana cream cheese – my drooling glands were working overtime. You really have to try it out for yourself – flippin’ amazin’ describes them perfectly. He’s even at the market on Wednesdays.
Who can sleep in on such a Saturday as this? Pickled veggies, mushrooms, raw honey, Spanish foods, peaches, gorgeous plants, raw juices, kombucha, popsicles, tomatoes, goat cheese, and the Grocery Clerks all wrapped up in a glorious Saturday morning!  I know, I know…I can hardly believe it myself. If you’re not there, you’re gonna miss out.Lots of love
Charlene LeJeune
Abundant Life Kitchen

Market Hours:  Wednesday, Covington Trailhead, 10am – 2pm;  Saturday, Columbia St (by Justice Center) 8am to Noon. Visit us at http://www.covingtonfarmersmarket.org/