• The Children's Coalition for Northeast Louisiana is bringing more visual art into Downtown Monroe. Supported in part by a grant from the Northeast Louisiana Arts Council with funds from the City of Monroe, this initiative will include a mural within our Family Garden by Vitus Shell.

The mission of the Children’s Coalition for Northeast Louisiana is to “Create communities where children and families thrive.” The project CHILDREN THRIVE, seeks to capture the essence of this mission in our community by creating the first of a series of public art mural panels designed by muralist Vitus Shell and painted with help of children and youth in our community. 

Monroe native, Vitus Shell, will work with a group of artists and local children and youth to implement the proposed project. Vitus Shell has exhibited at universities, museums, and private galleries across the country; painting a mural for the National Civil Rights Museum's NBA Pioneers exhibit; and being commissioned to do public art by the Memphis UrbanArt Commission. His artwork allows aspects of African American history to meet the complexities of African American culture in present day.

The mural will be on the fence that surrounds the Children’s Coalition Family Garden. The Children's Coalition Family Garden garden is open to the community and contains an early childhood outdoor learning center and an edible garden that feeds over 100 children in our Early Head Start centers. Over the past year, the garden has become a visible symbol of the revitalization of downtown Monroe. Situated between the Salvation Army Homeless Shelter and the Monroe Transit Bus Depot, the Children’s Coalition Family literally blooms in a desert of abandoned buildings and grey fields. The Family Garden surrounds the main office of the Children’s Coalition—a one-stop-shop that connects families to child care and parent education. In addition to the thousands of constituents served by Coalition programs each year, the garden hosts hundreds of community members each month as part of Super Saturday, a chance for families to participate in garden-based play and volunteer opportunities. 
 
Families will be able to witness and participate in the growth of the CHILDREN THRIVE mural by observing the artistic design process in action, and then lending a hand to help create a high-quality public work of art of the course of three months. The CHILDREN THRIVE mural will celebrate who we are as a community and who we serve as an organization, by highlighting the African-American perspective in relation to the land and demonstrate how art can help CHILDREN THRIVE. 

Edible gardens have been installed at Building Bridges Daycare & Learning Center on Gum Street in Winnsboro.

These garden beds are part of the Greauxing Gardens initiative through a partnership with the Children's Coalition for Northeast Louisiana and LSU AgCenter Ouachita Parish. 22 child care centers across Northeast Louisiana received beds, dirt, seeds and supplies to begin growing food to incorporate into the children's meals. Nutritionist Cindy George is providing support. ​

Congratulations to our Nurturing Parenting Program (NPP) Cohort 15 Graduating Class. Training during these 16-weeks of NPP included Life Skills, ACE, Home Visits, Case Management, Individual Support Counseling and Parent-child Observations.
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These parents stated they loved the parenting skills they learned and enjoyed our wonderful staff. The children also enjoyed the Easter Egg Hunt that took place outside in the garden to celebrate this milestone.

The Family Resource Center staff is proud of our 10 graduating parents and wish them much success as they continue to work towards their goals!

NORTHEAST LOUISIANA (KTVE/KARD) - (3/21/19) To celebrate, the organization spent the afternoon recognizing contributions of board members, honoring staff for their milestones, and expressing thanks to community partners. 

Executive Director Lynn Clark says the Children's Coalition has a clear goal for future growth for the fourteen parishes that it serves.     
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Kerry Hefner with LSU AG received the Friend of the Coalition Award for his help with the Community Garden.
Yesterday afternoon, LSU AG trained 48 early childhood educators in Edible Gardens for 22 childcare centers in five different parishes.

MONROE, La, (KNOE) - Jasmine and her mom, Lylia, say they're always in a giving mood.
That's why they're at the Children's Coalition in Monroe for Giving Tuesday.
"We're here to not only get volunteer hours but to also be with the community and do activities," Jasmine said.
Giving Tuesday is celebrated every year on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving to kick off the giving season. The mother-daughter duo is giving their time to volunteer.
"I'm giving back to the community,” said Jasmine. “That's what LSU Ag Master Gardeners is all about. It's just being hands-on with the different organizations and different schools here."
But Jasmine says this is not just a one-day thing, she and her mom are members of an LSU Ag Masters Gardeners class and they volunteer at other gardens too. Coming to the coalition has become a normal routine.
"She's the one that encouraged me to get into this,” Lylia said. “Even though I've always gardened as a child, my parents gardened."
But this is not the only way to help the coalition. Executive director Lynn Clark says there are other ways people can help out during the holiday season and all year long.
"We're also asking for donations of books for our free little library, which is something that's there for the community,” Clark said. “And we are asking for donations of money."
"Very thankful for this beautiful day, so we should get quite a bit done today," Lylia said.
Lylia says more people should take part in Giving Tuesday.
"I think it's a great thing,” said Lylia. “I really do. We've met some great people, got some great experience."
There are many ways you can volunteer at the children's coalition. For more information, go to https://www.facebook.com/ccnela/.

MONROE, La (KNOE) The Family Garden at the Children's Coalition of Northeast Louisiana is a 25 raised-bed garden and outdoor learning center to promote healthy eating, positive family interactions and garden-based learning and play.
The garden and outdoor learning center supports Coalition programs and the community by growing fresh food for Early Head Start centers, training early childhood educators in garden-based learning and providing a space for families to grow, play and learn together.
Super Saturday will feature garden-based activities for children and adults as well as seminars for parents.
Volunteer opportunities are available for all ages, groups are welcome.
The next Super Saturday event is scheduled for August 18, 2018 at their location at 117 Hall street in Monroe. For more info you can call 318-323-8775