A vital port on the renowned Mississippi River, the city of New Orleans is steeped in culture and history. Even so, areas of the city have long struggled with poverty and its socioeconomic effects — even before the devastation of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. In the storm’s wake, countless businesses — and even hospitals — opted not to reopen, leaving residents of an already-troubled community severely underserviced. Recovery has been slow, and in an area prone to crime and littered with abandoned buildings and homes, daily survival here is a struggle.

In a city that has endured so many challenges, Samuel J. Green Charter School serves as a beacon of hope. The core values that it instills in its students include respect, integrity, self-determination, and engagement. In addition to core academics, the school offers athletics, educational field trips, enrichment activities (visual arts, dance, yoga, karate, band, Lego League, an entrepreneurs club, photography club, etc.), and an Edible Schoolyard, a program where students participate in gardening, cooking classes, and animal husbandry. The school’s caring and dedicated staff is thrilled to partner with Children Incorporated sponsors to better equip students with such basic essentials as clothes, shoes, hygiene items, and school supplies — needs that, if left unmet, would hinder students from achieving their full academic potential. Together, we are able to provide these deserving students with a well-rounded education — the key to breaking the cycle of poverty so that students may rise above difficult circumstances.