LCWTA holds successful Easter basket drive for area children
Wednesday, April 4, 2018
by: Tonya Lowentritt
HERE COMES PETER COTTONTAIL - The Louisiana Child Welfare Training Academy, a program within Southeastern Louisiana University’s School of Social Work, held its first ever Easter basket drive during the month of March. Over 350 baskets were collected. From left are LCWTA staff Connie Riddle, Laura DiMattia, Gabriela Acosta and Betty Zinna.
HAMMOND – The Louisiana Child Welfare Training Academy, a program within Southeastern
Louisiana University’s School of Social Work, held its first ever Easter basket drive
during the month of March.
The goal was to create 100 Easter baskets for local children in foster care,
said Program Coordinator Connie Riddle.
“The LCWTA team was able to triple their goal, thanks to the generous donations
of the Southeastern organizations, students, faculty, staff and the surrounding Hammond
community,” she said. “The final count was 346 baskets.”
Riddle said the age range for the baskets started at newborn and went up to 17
years old.
“It took over 30 hours and 20 volunteers to assemble the baskets. Each basket
was filled with books, puzzles, toys, crafts, toiletries, school supplies, and sweet
treats,” she said. “The LCWTA initially planned to distribute the baskets in Tangipahoa
Parish, but were able to donate to Washington and St. Tammany parishes as well.”
Southeastern organizations that contributed to the drive included the Family
and Consumer Sciences Department, Health and Human Sciences Department, the Social
Work Club, College of Business, Association of Latin American Students (ALAS), the
Center for Faculty Excellence, Phi Kappa Phi, Phi Mu, and the Honors Club. Contributing
community organizations included St. Tammany Hospital and Laboratory and District
62, Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development, located in Hammond.
The Louisiana Child Welfare Training Academy (LCWTA) is a partnership between
the Department of Children and Family Services, the Pelican Center for Children and
Families, and the University Alliance, comprised of seven university partners within
the public schools of Social Work in Louisiana.