Project Reclaim, a local nonprofit, continues to make a significant impact in the community, Executive Director Ron Anderson has reported. The organization provides math, reading, and creative activities for youth and their parents or guardians, equipping them with tools for success.
Project Reclaim offers various programs, including a youth leadership program, life skills classes, court life skills, and parenting classes. Over the past year, the organization has served 487 youth and adults across seven parishes with just one full-time and one part-time employee.
“We do homework assistance, tutoring, Project Reclaim TV, leadership training, we go on field trips, and it doesn’t cost a dime; we raise money and write grants to do all of that,” Anderson said.
Anderson emphasized the organization’s mission-driven approach. “When you’re doing this for the right reasons — when it’s really about service to others — that’s how you can make that kind of impact with just one full-time employee, one part-time employee, and a handful of contractors,” he said.
For the 2023-2024 period, 100% of youth in the afterschool program remained free from pregnancy, 100% stayed in school, 100% advanced to the next grade, and 100% avoided juvenile court involvement.
Project Reclaim has expanded its parenting class, “Raising Winners,” to Ouachita, Red River, Bossier, and Natchitoches parishes using a grant from the Louisiana Children’s Trust Fund. The organization served 207 parents last year.
“Let’s reach those parents early in their parenting experience and teach them about the importance of rules, boundaries, and structure,” Anderson said. “Just because you correct them doesn’t mean that you don’t love them. It means that you do love them, and you want them to do better and be better.”
He emphasized the need for these classes in prenatal clinics. “We really need to have these classes in prenatal clinics, before the kids even get here,” he said.
Project Reclaim also received a grant from the Louisiana Youth for Excellence (LYFE) program, which promotes positive youth development and raises awareness of consequences for at-risk behaviors. As part of this initiative, the Sexual Risk Avoidance Education program teaches youth about setting healthy boundaries, goal setting, self-worth, and decision-making skills. The program serves two age groups: 5th-8th grade and 8th-12th grade, offering incentives for participation.
Zaria Stephens, the program coordinator, highlighted the importance of early education. “They’re learning about peer pressure and refusal skills,” she said, adding that the program should begin at even younger ages.
LYFE Executive Director Amanda Shackelford recently visited Project Reclaim and praised its efforts. “This exceeds my expectations,” she said. “This is an A+.”
Project Reclaim serves nearly 30 children daily in its afterschool program and has expanded so much that a waiting list has formed.
“I hate waiting lists because that’s a parent who needs their kid in here. So we’re going to have to raise some more funds. There’s so much more that needs to be done,” Anderson said.
Anderson emphasized that helping children learn to make smart choices benefits the entire community.For more information on Project Reclaim, visit their website at www.prstars.org or email Ron Anderson at [email protected].
