OK Sponsors
Operation Kids and the Allstate Foundation have joined forces to rebuild children’s facilities in New Orleans.
The Allstate Foundation launched the partnership by making a $100,000 donation to Operation Kids’ “Rebuilding Dreams in New Orleans” campaign. The first part of the gift -- $50,000 – will be used to begin renovation of a new athletic field for Lusher Charter School in New Orleans. Lusher Charter School is a K-12 public school that focuses on a high-academic college-preparatory curriculum. Substantial damage caused by Katrina left many of the school’s facilities in need of major repair, including the athletic facilities.
With funding from the Operation Kids campaign, Lusher’s athletic field will be completely restored so that it can provide a quality venue for soccer, football, baseball and softball. The field will be re-graded and re-sodded, and bleachers, scoreboard and lighting will be installed for nighttime use. Not only will Lusher teams and their rivals able to use the field, but it will also be shared with surrounding schools (including neighbor New Orleans Charter Science & Math High School) and recreation associations.
(Click here to see more information and photos of Lusher Charter School).
Operation Kids and the Allstate Foundation have also committed to working with the Injury-Free Coalition for Kids to rebuild six neighborhood parks in New Orleans over the next three years. The Little Hands Playground at Lyons Center Park, funded by the Allstate Foundation, was the first one completed and was dedicated on January 4, 2008. Lyons Center Park, located at the corner of Tchoupitoulas and Delachaise in the Garden District of New Orleans, will now provide fun and safe playground facilities for scores of neighborhood children.
(Click here to see photos and video of Lyons Center Park).
Additional parks are now being identified for renovation. They will be rebuilt as funds come available.
Operation Kids thanks the Allstate Foundation for its support of Lusher Charter School and children throughout New Orleans.