Acadiana Resources

Read to children.                                 Encourage pregnant women to read to their babies before birth.                                 Always carry a book.                                Read in public: in the shopping line, in the waiting room, in restaurants, or waiting for a performance to start.                                 Hold Baby Book Showers for expectant parents.                                 Join or start a book club.                                 Join our Facebook group, ‘Swamp Water Literary Society.’                                 Give books as presents.                                 Read a book during work breaks.                                 Patronize our libraries.                                 Keep a bulletin board at work: What people are reading, what their friends and family are reading, what they want to read next.                                Give books as gifts.                                 Talk with people about what they’re reading.

Acadiana is blessed with a child- and family- centered culture. As a result, the 8 parishes of the region (Acadia, Evangeline, Iberia, Lafayette, St. Landry, St. Martin, St. Mary & Vermilion) have created a plethora of public, nonprofit, and worship-based organizations that nurture and educate our children. Follows is a partial list; feel free to contact us with further suggestions.

100 Black Men of Greater Lafayette
Mentoring is the core service delivery of The 100, with programmatic services in education, health and wellness, economic empowerment and leadership development, which make a fundamental difference in the lives of the youth we touch and the communities we serve.

Acadiana Family Tree
Our mission is to improve the quality of life for individuals and families over the life course through education, counseling and information services that are delivered in a professional, accessible, and compassionate manner. We offer a broad array of services, including Community Education; Counseling; Family Conflict Care; Healthy Start; Child Passenger Safety; H.O.P.E. (Helping Offenders Parent Effectively); Suicide Prevention; Early Childhood Services; and Customized Training.

New Hope Community Center
We work with, and advocate for, under-resourced children in Lafayette. Some of our programs include after-school tutoring, summer programs, and ACES advocacy.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Acadiana
A 1-to-1 mentoring program to defend the potential of Acadiana’s kids. We sponsor programs for volunteer adults to interact with children that are school-based; community-based; club-based; and sports-centered.

Boys & Girls Clubs of Acadiana
We provide a safe, impactful and high quality experience for kids at 8 locations. Our primary focus is academic success; healthy lifestyles & habits; and good character & leadership.

Lafayette Parish Public Library
Founded in 1932, the Lafayette Library offers books and services through 9 locations, and leads Louisiana in both private donations, and in the lending of traditional materials.

Lafayette Parish School System
LPSS offers the full range of scholastic and extra-curricular activities from pre-kindergarten through high school, and supports many other programs that enrich the academic lives of our children and our community overall.

Love Our Schools
Love Our Schools brought together the public sector, individuals, businesses, churches, and nonprofit organizations, all united for a common cause – taking a stand to revolutionize the educational system in support of a brighter future for our children and our state.

One Acadiana
As the Lafayette Chamber of Commerce, One Acadiana is a business-led, privately-funded economic development organization serving a nine-parish area in South Louisiana. Our vision is to make our region one of the most sought-after places in the South for emerging businesses and professional talent.

Pugh Family Foundation
Our mission is creating a better tomorrow through education, and we believe that public education is a primary fulcrum for improving communities. We believe that every child in Acadiana deserves a world-class education, and we focus on partnerships with our local school district and university to support students and educators, and to increase the impact of their efforts, especially in high-needs settings.

South Louisiana Community College
SLCC provides academic and vocational training across the parishes of Acadia, Evangeline, Iberville, Lafayette, Pointe Coupee, St. Landry, and Vermilion, and north St. Martin.

Stuller Family Foundation
The Stuller Family Foundation makes grants and investments to support organizations and people who think greater and think differently about solutions to problems in their communities where they live, work and play. These investments include human services; education; animal welfare; environment conservation; arts & culture; civic & community engagement.

University of Louisiana
Over its 125 years, UL has emerged as the research leader among Louisiana public universities, while maintaing its focus on undergraduate education and community outreach & service.

William C. Schumacher Family Foundation
The Schumacher Foundation seeks to build stronger communities through collaboration and community engagement, via numerous charitable organizations focused on enhancing healthcare, crisis response, education, and overall quality of life.

United Way of Acadiana
For more than 72 years, UWA has worked to to strengthen our community by lifting our local nonprofit groups and providing disaster relief services. UWA offers and supports a broad array of services which support and augment education, income, and safety net services.

Women of Wisdom
We are uniting women to improve the quality of life for women, children, and families, from healthcare initiatives to early education efforts, and from economic development to arts patronage.