Live! in the Community helps HOPE Connections to fight homelessness

SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – Live! in the Community with the Cares Krewe is always on the lookout to see whom we can help pay it forward, and we found the perfect organization.

Live! in the Community with the Cares Krewe has a way of not showing all of its cards right away, and that’s precisely what happened when we visited a place of HOPE, love, and comfort located at 2350 Levy Street in Shreveport, LA.

“I wanted to knock out an interview with you quickly about HOPE Connections,” said Ya’Lisha Gatewood with the Cares Krewe to Christa Hawkins, the Executive Director.

Christa had no idea what was up our sleeves.

“What are the donations that are most important to HOPE Connections?” asked Shelli Briery Murphy, Advertising and Public Relations Manager with Live! Casino & Hotel.

Christa shared that 37 individuals reside at the facility on Levy Street, but it is open during the day for others to come in from outside, take showers, do laundry, rest, get water, use the ice machine, and escape the weather.

“Then we have the street outreach team. They go out to all the camps, under bridges, abandoned buildings, anywhere people are living unhoused. We have a separate list for them. That’s where we need travel-size hygiene items, tarps, and tents. And, right now their biggest need is bug spray because the bugs are so bad and it’s just miserable sleeping outside,” shared Hawkins.

“As prices go up. We can’t afford things. And that’s why we’re setting up a donation station: to bring attention to what’s needed for our clients. You’ll notice everything on our wish list is directly for clients,” said Christa.

In our tricky ways, we told Christa that we needed to run to our cars quickly and that we would be right back.

“You have prizes!” exclaimed Christa as we walked in with bags of donations for HOPE Connection and the local community members that they serve.

“Small act of kindness. Thank you for what you do in our community,” said Shelli Briery Murphy, Advertising and Public Relations Manager with Live! Casino & Hotel.

Hope Connections helps in a multitude of ways:

• HOPE connects agencies and organizations to provide a range of housing options, services, and support to individuals experiencing homelessness.
• Serve as the lead agency of the Continuum of Care (CoC), also known as the homeless system, which HOPE Connections refers to as the Homeless Coalition.

HOPE incorporated its coalition in 2001 and became a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization two years later, in 2003. The HOPE CoC predominantly operates in the metropolitan area of Shreveport and Bossier City, but also covers the seven (7) most northwest parishes in Louisiana: Bienville, Bossier, Caddo, Claiborne, DeSoto, Red River, and Webster.

If you are interested in helping HOPE Connections through volunteering, donations, financial giving, or hosting speakers to discuss solutions to end homelessness, please call 318-670-4591.

Live! in the Community with the Cares Krewe looks for deserving recipients each week!

You can nominate someone to receive a surprise today. Submit your nomination or share an idea for an organization that deserves a surprise.

Or scan the QR code to submit a nomination. It is easy:

• 1-Open your camera
• 2-Position the QR code
• 3-Follow the link
• 4-Submit your nomination