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Commissioner amends school-supplies ordinance, shifts parish contribution to Volunteers of America
Summary
The commission advanced an amended ordinance (66-38) to redirect a reduced parish appropriation to Volunteers of America for a pilot "Set Up for Success" backpack program aimed at ensuring every Booker T. Washington High School student begins school with required supplies; commissioners pressed for partner contribution details before introduction.
Commissioner Thomas moved to amend ordinance 66-38, reducing the parish appropriation and directing $10,000 to Volunteers of America (VOA) for a pilot program to supply backpacks and school materials to students. Thomas described the "Set Up for Success" initiative as a public-private coalition including Chase Bank, the city of Shreveport and VOA and said the pilot would ensure all 680 Booker T. Washington High School students receive school-supply backpacks.
"Imagine the impact of every student walked into class and found a backpack waiting in their chair filled with every notebook, pencil, calculator, and supply that they need," Commissioner Thomas said, framing the effort as a model for replication across Caddo Parish. Commissioners voiced support for the coalition approach but asked for clarity on vetting and partner contributions; Thomas said the plan uses official school supply lists and that backpacks would be packed on campus so every registered student is accounted for.
Several commissioners raised implementation and equity concerns. Commissioner Ron Cotton asked whether the program is strictly for Booker T. Washington or if VOA would distribute parishwide and pressed for a vetting standard: "What standards are we using to actually give a child a backpack?" Thomas and administration replied VOA operates distribution channels and the school board supply lists will be used to identify needs. Commissioner Craigman asked that private partners publicly state matched contributions; Thomas said Chase provided about 70 backpacks and $500 and that the city of Shreveport and other partners had contributed, reducing a preliminary $68,000 estimate to roughly $27,000 after donations and bulk discounts.
The commission called the question and, by unanimous consent to advance, approved moving the amended ordinance forward for introduction on the next agenda. The amendment was seconded by Commissioner Stonergage Watts and will be formally introduced at the next meeting.
