(Shreveport, LA) – United Way of Northwest Louisiana (UWNWLA) partnered with Caddo Parish Public Schools to host a district-wide volunteer day for students, parents, educators, and more. Volunteers comprised 27 teams representing different K-12 Caddo schools that partnered with a nonprofit agency across Bossier and Caddo parishes. The school teams collectively held 13 collection drives and completed 12 in-person projects. Caddo Schools saved local nonprofits roughly $3,593 in labor costs based on the average cost of a volunteer hour, and the collection drives yielded more than 5,000 essential items.
Volunteers are the backbone of nonprofit organizations as agencies often do not have the financial resources or manpower to hire outside help to complete everything needed for upkeep. That’s where volunteers come in; this year, approximately 113 volunteers from Caddo Schools participated in community service while learning about civic needs.
In-person volunteer projects included campus cleanups, planting gardens, cleaning facilities, writing notes of encouragement, and more. The Werner Park Elementary Cheer Squad was announced as the Spirit Award recipient for showing the most spirit on social media by posting pictures and videos of their team’s project. The cheer squad planted flowers to beautify the lawn of the Arc Caddo-Bossier’s Arlington Community Home, which houses women with disabilities.
“I want to make sure to teach our cheerleaders very young that it is important to give back to our community because United Way does so much to help us out at our school with school supplies and everything they do for us,” said Leah Head, Werner Park Elementary Cheer Coach.
“We are so grateful for another successful Day of Service thanks to Caddo Schools’ students, teachers, and staff members who selflessly gave up their Saturday to support our community,” said Raavin Evans, UWNWLA Director of Community Impact. “Not only did the school system donate thousands of essential items to support our nonprofit friends, but they also donated their time, talent, and passion in order to build a more prosperous Northwest Louisiana for us all.”
UWNWLA is proud to have partnered with Caddo Parish Public Schools for another successful year of giving back to our community while teaching the importance of volunteerism to students and staff.
Participating schools and paired nonprofits:
CADDO SCHOOL TEAMS NONPROFIT AGENCIES SERVICE PROJECT
| Green Oaks Performing Arts Academy | Basic Necessities
|
Collection Drive |
| Southwood High School Student Council | Holy Angels | Collection Drive |
| Donnie Bickham Middle School | United Way of Northwest Louisiana | Collection Drive |
| South Highlands Elementary School | Volunteers of America North Louisiana | Collection Drive |
| Ridgewood Middle School | WERLA | Collection Drive |
| Green Oaks High School | St. Luke’s Episcopal Mobile Medical Ministry | Collection Drive |
| Pine Grove Elementary Cheerleaders | The Salvation Army Northwest Louisiana | Collection Drive |
| Caddo Middle Magnet | Providence House | Collection Drive |
| Walnut Hill Elementary & Middle School | Holy Angels and Robinson’s Rescue | Collection Drive |
| Fair Park Middle School | St. Luke’s Episcopal Mobile Medical Ministry | Collection Drive |
| Judson Magnet School | Christian Service Program | Collection Drive |
| Pine Grove Elementary Q.U.E.S.T. | United Way of Northwest Louisiana | Collection Drive |
| Huntington High School Junior Taskforce | — | Campus Clean-Up
|
| Westwood Elementary | — | Campus Clean-Up |
| Youree Drive Middle School Spirit Squad | PetSavers | Dog-Walking |
| Youree Drive Middle School Pep Squad | Geaux 4 Kids | Notes of Encouragement Writing |
| Riverside Elementary | YMCA | Cleaning |
| Walnut Hill Middle School Cheerleaders | ThinkFirst of Ark-La-Tex
|
Community Outreach Event |
| Woodlawn Leadership Academy | — | Campus Community Garden |
| Werner Park Elementary Cheerleaders | The Arc Caddo-Bossier | Gardening |
| J.S. Clark Elementary | — | Campus Clean-Up |
| Woodlawn Leadership Academy Culinary Arts Club | Shreveport Green | Gardening |
| Captain Shreve High School | The Salvation Army Northwest Louisiana | Facility Clean-Up |
| Turner Elementary & Middle School | Shreveport Green | Gardening |
| Green Oaks High School Fellowship & Christian Athletes | The Fuller Center for Housing of Northwest Louisiana | Home Restoration |
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