Community Events

Mark Your Calendars for August 27!

Please join us at the Community Center of St Bernard, 1107 LeBeau St, Arabi on August 27 at 7 PM for a presentation, discussion and book-signing event for the new book: Katrina: A Freight Train Screamin'. Guest speakers will include the book's author Cary Black, as well as Chief Thomas Stone of the St Bernard Parish Fire Department.

Mr Black's new book captures the perspectives and stories of the St Bernard Parish Firefighters, the New Orleans Fire Department, the FEMA volunteer firefighters and other first responders who were on duty during the hurricane. The book also includes the stories of more than a dozen residents of the New Orleans area who were caught up in the fury and chaos of the storm.

Reflecting with passion and emotional intensity the determination of the ordinary people of New Orleans and St Bernard Parish who began rebuilding with sheer determination and perserverence, the book is a tribute to the struggles and triumphs of those everyday American heroes. These are the stories of the people who were on the ground, saving lives, facing Katrina's terror with bravery and courage, and then, in the aftermath, picking up and rebuilding with pain in their hearts and determination in their spirits. More information about Katrina: A Freight Train Screamin' is available at www.redowlpublications.com

 

Meditation Practice with Jake La Botz on September 2 & 9

Experienced teacher Jake La Botz will offer sitting meditation practices at the Community Center of St Bernard annex, 1111 LeBeau St, Arabi, on September 2 and September 9 from 6:30 – 7:30 PM.

The sitting practice of meditation is a valuable tool to aid relaxation, bring body and mind together, and open up to life in a fuller way.

Jake La Botz has been practicing and studying meditation for over ten years, seven of those within the Tibetan Buddhist lineage of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche as taught by Dr. Reginald A. Ray. Jake has been teaching meditation for five years, most recently leading a weekly group at the Aikido Center of Los Angeles before moving to his current home in New Orleans .

The meditation practices are free to the public and everyone is invited to participate. Please wear comfortably loose fitting clothes for sitting and lying down during the practice. Cushions will be provided, but attendees are welcome to bring their own blankets or cushions if they prefer. Chairs will also be available for those who cannot comfortably use cushions.

Get Your Free Family Portrait on September 9!

"Project; Smile, Say Cheese" Inc will be at the Community Center of St Bernard, 1107 LeBeau St, Arabi on Thursday September 9 from 3 PM - 5 PM to take free family portraits! The project is run by a group of south Florida photographers who bring the gift of smiles and memories by offering free family portraits. Project; Smile, Say Cheese organizers believe that for families facing uncertain times, a beautiful family photo is a great way to bring everyone together and cherish what is most important in life: family.

All families who attend the September 9 event will receive a free family portrait session including a 5x7 keepsake photo, a personal on-line gallery, and a digital photo file for reprinting. Everyone is welcome and there is no need for an appointment. For more information, please contact Christeen Pozniak at 561.846.1914 or visit www.projectsmilesaycheese.webs.com.

Free Medicaid Enrollment at the Community Center of St Bernard every Thursday!

The Community Center of St. Bernard is pleased to announce that through its partnership with Methodist Health System Foundation, Inc., a Medicaid enrollment specialist will be available every Thursday to assist St. Bernard residents with Medicaid enrollment applications beginning on Thursday, July 8 th . Medicaid enrollment hours will be 10am—4:30pm every Thursday at the Community Center of St Bernard, 1107 LeBeau St, Arabi. No appointment is needed to receive assistance.

Register for Evacuation Assistance at the Community Center on Alternate Thursdays

St. Bernard Parish residents with special needs can receive assistance when a mandatory evacuation is called, either due to a hurricane or another type of emergency which might arise in the parish. Special needs residents include those who are disabled or infirm, or those who do not have any transport to evacuate themselves in the event of an emergency.

Residents who may need assistance with evacuation are required to register each year with the St Bernard Parish Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness. Anyone who needs to register can meet with representatives from the Parish Department of Homeland Security at the Community Center of St Bernard, 1107 LeBeau St, Arabi from 10 AM until noon on alternate Thursdays beginning on March 18. Registration forms can also be requested by phoning the Department of Homeland Security at 504.278.4322, and the forms are also available for download from the St Bernard Parish website at www.sbpg.net.

Residents are reminded that they need to re-register if any of the contact information on the form changes, and that they must have valid identification such as a drivers license. For more information about the special needs evacuation assistance program, please contact the St Bernard Parish Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness at 504.278.4322.

ACCION Louisiana Small Business Loans Now at the Community Center

Got a great idea for your own business? Need a loan to get started? ACCION Louisiana can help! ACCION Louisiana is a non profit organization that makes small business loans from $500 to $100,000 to entrepreneurs who want to start or expand an existing small business. Staff from ACCION Louisiana are now at the Community Center of St Bernard, 1107 LeBeau St, Arabi on Tuesdays from 10 AM until noon.

ACCION Louisiana makes decisions about loans based on a variety of factors, not simply on credit scores, and will be able to help many clients who may have been turned away by traditional lending sources. Loans can be used for working capital, expansion of a business or operational costs directly related to the business.

ACCION Louisiana is part of the ACCION Texas, Inc., which has become the nation's largest nonprofit microlender, making loans throughout Texas and now Louisiana. It is headquartered in San Antonio , where it was founded in 1994.

“We are delighted to have moved into Louisiana where we will be able to lend to many people with ideas and initiative who haven't been able to start or expand their businesses because of lack of funds,” Janie Barrera, founding president and CEO of ACCION Texas-Louisiana,” said.

Potential clients can apply for business loans by calling ACCION Louisiana Loan Officer Stephaney Bolden at 504-373-9695, by visiting with ACCION Louisiana staff on Tuesdays from 10 AM until noon at the Community Center, or by applying online at the ACCION Texas-Louisiana website at www.acciontexas.org . No appointment is needed; however, clients are encouraged to bring any documentation and planning information that they may have about their small business.

Free Bingo Every Tuesday Night at 5:30!

Please Note: Bingo is taking a summer vacation and will resume at 5:30 PM on Sept 14.

Tuesday nights are Free Bingo Nights at the Community Center of St Bernard! Everyone is invited to a family evening filled with fun, prizes, and 10 rounds of Bingo. Starting on January 5, Bingo will be held every Tuesday night starting at 5:30 PM at the Community Center of St Bernard, 1107 Lebeau St, Arabi.

There is no charge for admission, and children are welcome to join in the fun as long as they are supervised. Winners will be able to choose from a variety of prizes including vases, figurines, and handicrafts, so come out and join us for "Bingo on Lebeau"! For more information, please phone the Community Center Office at 504.281.2512.

Red Cross Hurricane Preparedness Information Available on Thursdays

Representatives from the American Red Cross St Bernard Chapter are now at the Community Center of St Bernard, 1107 LeBeau St, Arabi, from 10 AM until 12 PM every Thursday to help residents prepare for this year's hurricane season.

With hurricane season running from June 1 through November 30, now is the perfect time for residents to get Red Cross Ready. Much of the worry during hurricane season can be reduced by being prepared, and Red Cross staff at the Community Center will help families understand the three easy steps that will help them be ready if disaster strikes. These key steps include (1) Make a Plan (2) Build a Kit and (3) Stay Informed. Residents will also learn what to do if an evacuation is ordered. The disaster preparedness services provided by the Red Cross St Bernard Chapter are free to the public and no appointment is needed.

The American Red Cross is a humanitarian organization, led by volunteers, that provides relief to victims of disasters and helps people prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies. The Red Cross provides emergency assistance to residents whose homes have been damaged or destroyed by fires or other disasters. The St. Bernard Chapter also links members of the U.S. Armed Forces with their families during a crisis twenty-four hours a day, 365 days a year.

The local Red Cross chapter trains St. Bernard Parish residents annually in First Aid, CPR, Babysitter's Training, HIV/AIDS Education, Water Safety and Pet First Aid, in addition to disaster preparedness and response. For more information about Red Cross St Bernard Chapter programs and services, please phone 504.620.2855 or visit www.arcno.org. For more information about resources available at the Community Center of St Bernard, please phone 504.281-2512 or visit www.ccstb.org.

Road Home Assistance Now Available By Appointment Only!

Effective February 10, 2010, anyone needing Road Home assistance should phone 225-219-9600 and ask for either Anita Anderson or Ted Guillot to set up an appointment at the Community Center.

If neither Ms Anderson or Mr Guillot is available, please leave a message with the receptionist. Appointments can also be scheduled by emailing anita.anderson@la.gov or ted.guillot@la.gov .

Free Yoga Classes On Monday and Wednesday Nights!

Swan River Yoga and the Community Center of St Bernard are pleased to announce that the popular Yoga For The People! free yoga classes currently held every Wednesday evening will now be expanded to include Monday sessions as well.

Led by instructor Kim Martin the Monday classes are offered every week from 6-7 PM at the Community Center of St Bernard, Arabi. The Wednesday evening classes, led by Lauren Shepley and Amanda Minogue, meet weekly at 6 PM at the Community Center.

The Yoga For The People! program, established in 2008, is the first New Orleans-based yoga community outreach program. Inspired by a group of yogis from NYC led by Katie McDonald, Yoga For The People! currently offers classes at a variety of locations throughout the greater New Orleans area including Catholic Charities, Trinity Episcopal Church, and the Red Cross.

“Yoga is thought to release stress, and facilitate an accelerated rate of healing of the physical body and psyche, so that we can all more fully enjoy our lives with a sense of ease, support, and delight in our community,” notes Michele Baker, who is the founder, co-owner, and director of Swan River Yoga Teacher Training School. “Health and happiness is our birthright. This is what the Yoga For The People! program hopes to provide. The classes are an opportunity for our teachers to experience Seva - compassion in action and selfless service. A supportive community is the foundation of a yoga practice. We thank the Yoga For The People! outreach partner agencies for giving us the opportunity to experience such diverse depth of relationship within our great city and region by allowing us to teach.”

Yoga class participants will learn simple breathing techniques, meditation tools, and basic poses for releasing discomfort and increasing health, benefiting the neighborhood, community, and beyond. The Community Center has 20 yoga mats on hand, but participants are welcome to bring their own. The classes are open to the public and beginners are welcome to attend. No registration is needed and there is no charge for the sessions. For more information about Swan River Yoga's many programs and services, please visit www.swanriveryoga.com.