The New Orleans Police Department's 3rd District and the Beacon of Hope Resource Center joined together on Tuesday, December 8 to provide brand new bicycles to 50 students at Mary Bethune Elementary school as part of a community policing initiative. The criteria used in determining the awards were those students showing the most improvement in test scores, attendance and conduct.

The program was created by the two organizations to develop positive relationships between young neighborhood children and the police officers. Major Greg Elder, Commander of the Third District, had each bike customized to fit the kids' gender and size.  A team of police officers personally presented the selected students with their bikes, along with a safety helmet and lock.  Superintendent Warren Riley was also in attendance to show his support for the program. Saints players past and present were on hand to present the students with an autographed Certificate of Award. Among them were Thomas Morstead, Darnell Dinkins, Lynell Hamilton, and former player Steve Gleason, (top left in photo).  The Beacon of Hope Resource Center hopes to make this an annual event.
 
The Beacon of Hope, Bethune Elementary, and the NOPD 3rd District would like to thank Sandra Mann, a Lakeview resident and Beacon volunteer, who coordinated this event.   They would like to thank the Shaw Group and Durr Construction who were major contributors, the NOPD officers who fundraised and the neighborhood residents who contributed to this program.  "The cooperation among NOPD, Beacon of Hope, Bethune Elementary, and the New Orleans Saints really exemplifies the unity and community spirit in neighborhoods rarely seen before Hurricane Katrina," said Ms. Mann.

Blight reduction efforts slashed by Mayor Ray Nagin's budget knife

By David Hammer, The Times-Picayune

December 11, 2009, 8:32PM

Mayor Ray Nagin's first move to cut essential city services after the City Council passed a slashed budget is targeting one of the administration's most visible programs: blight reduction.

"I'm livid," said Rita Legrand, a Lakeview volunteer who monitors nearly every blight hearing for the Beacon of Hope community group, which works on getting derelict homeowners to clean up. "Code enforcement is one of the best offices down there (at City Hall). It's clear the mayor's just doing this to get back at the council."

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"It's a God Thing"

(Beacon of Hope Resource Center)

By Jean Sammon, The Network Connection, Washington, D.C.

This is a story-a true story-about a tennis-playing Mom who turned into a neighborhood activist and is now helping to put shattered lives back together.

Shortly after Hurricane Katrina, Connie Uddo was rescued from depression by a neighborhood meeting, where she saw that she really wasn't alone after all. She became involved in helping her neighbors recover their homes, and then she met Denise Thornton, founder of the Beacon of Hope Resource Center, who was "ten steps ahead of her."

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