Southern University, Shreveport Chancellor Ray Belton accepts a check from HUD to be used for community development.

SUSLA receives sixth HUD grant for $600,000

HUD field representative Martha Sakre recently presented Southern University, Shreveport Chancellor Ray Belton and the Division of Community Workforce Development a $600,000 check at the Morning Star Baptist Church Family Life Center.

"We are excited to have received six grants from HUD totaling over $2 million," said Janice Sneed, Vice Chancellor for Community and Workforce Development. "The Division of Community and Workforce Development (CWD) is an outgrowth of SUSLA's commitment to the total community and community service mission. The empowerment of people and communities through education and training to affect positive change has been the premise of all programs and services developed and delivered in CWD."

The award sparked praise and excitement from community partners, elected officials and the SUSLA family. "It's about time," chimed Shreveport City Councilman Joe Shine. "I thought you all had forgotten about Mooretown."

The university intends to use the grant to strengthen and expand micro-enterprise business development activities, establish a community resource and training center for community and faith-based organizations, partner with the city of Shreveport to develop a Ledbetter Heights and Martin Luther King Neighborhood revitalization plan and establish a Community Technology Center for low-income residents in the Mooretown community. The new center will be housed in the Morning Start Baptist Church Family Life Center.

Led by program manager and co-director, Darrin Dixon; principal investigator, David Aubrey; and program director, Lucinda Thornton; the three-year grant will partner with community agencies including the City of Shreveport, Louisiana Association for Non-Profit Organizations (LANO), Shreveport-Bossier African American Chamber of Commerce, The Community Foundation and Urban Support Agency, Inc.