In 2009, the pilot class of the Crescent Fund awarded four grants to organizations that supported education and economic development in our community.

New Orleans Providing Literacy to All Youth (NOPLAY)

NOPLAY provides free, individualized GED and literacy instruction to out-of-school youth between 16-24 years of age. NOPLAY was especially designed to meet the educational and behavioral needs of youth who have not been successful in school. With an open-enrollment policy, NOPLAY classes are held five days a week at the Tulane Tower Learning Center. The Crescent Fund has enabled NOPLAY to assist students with GED exam fees and transportation costs.

Social Entrepreneurs of New Orleans (SENO)

Recognized by Tulane University’s Freeman School of Business as the 2009 Outstanding Social Entrepreneur of the Year, SENO is a start-up nonprofit that aims to systematically advance solutions to New Orleans’ most pressing social challenges by identifying and incubating the social entrepreneurs who tackle these challenges and opportunities. The Crescent Fund will support the New Ventures Incubator, an initiative to foster the launch of high-potential, early-stage social entrepreneurs who need guidance, resources, and networks to launch their ventures.

Westbank Community School

Located in Marrero, the Westbank Community School is an alternative middle school in the Jefferson Parish Public School System. Students who are expelled for behavioral reasons from their home based school are sent to Westbank Community School. The school’s mission is to provide a safe haven where students can receive a second chance and a quality education. The building housing the school was formerly a church; during renovation, there was not enough money available for a library. The Crescent Fund will support the creation of the school’s first library.

YA/YA

By providing educational experiences in the arts and in entrepreneurship, YA/YA empowers creative young people in New Orleans to become successful adults. Through professional apprenticeships, the young artists are given opportunities to create public artworks, design merchandise, serve as cultural ambassadors, and work as project managers. The Crescent Fund will support the launch of SIGN-UP, a project of community beautification and strengthening, in which young art-entrepreneurs will partner with small business owners to create unique, custom-designed signage.