LANO's New Orleans Staff Featured by Local NPR Affiliate WWNO

Radio station WWNO in New Orleans aired an interview on December 13 that prominently featured LANO's New Orleans office Director, Dr. Cory Sparks, and Vice President of Programs, Kellie Chavez Greene.

The program "Community IMPACT," written by Ian McNulty and produced in partnership with the Greater New Orleans Foundation, highlighted nonprofits' role in "place-based initiatives" that take an holistic approach to improving local conditions that includes employment, education, transportation and other factors that impact residents' standard of living.

Sparks, a long-time resident of New Orleans, pointed out the value of this approach to his home city: "We know what it's like to live with deep roots. We know what it's like to see a difference in the life of a child just down the block . . . and how no one else is going to do that for us, for our family and friends, our faith community and others. We were place-based before it was cool."

Greene, who oversees LANO's regional offices and travels frequently to New Orleans, spoke about the importance of fund development to nonprofits as they pursue these and other initiatives. Greene mentioned in particular the effects of the 2005 hurricanes, how nonprofits led the rebuilding and saw an eventual downturn in philanthropic investment in years after the storms.

"Fund development is an area where nonprofits are struggling," Greene said. "It's part of Katrina resources moving on to other communities; it's what happens in an economic downturn, and there's more need than ever."

The WWNO program "Community IMPACT" offers an inside look at innovative nonprofits working across the New Orleans area and the differences they're making in the community.

For a full transcript and audio download of the interview with LANO's Sparks and Greene, click here.

WWNO is a listener-supported NPR affiliate radio station for New Orleans and eleven parishes of southeast Louisiana, broadcasting on 89.9 FM, and on KTLN 90.5 FM in the Houma-Thibodaux area.

It produces "Community IMPACT" with support from the Greater New Orleans Foundation, a LANO member organization whose mission is "to create a resilient, sustainable, vibrant community in which individuals and families flourish and in which the special character of the New Orleans region and its people is preserved, celebrated, and given the means to develop."