[StBernard] Community Action Awards showcase and highlight New Orleans regional heroes: Jaime Johnson from St. Bernard honored

[Westley Annis]

Community Action Awards showcase and highlight New Orleans regional heroes


Jaime Johnson from St. Bernard Department of Housing and Redevelopment
honored

 

The community action agencies that serve low-income individuals in
Jefferson, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. James, St. John and St.
Tammany parishes honored those making a difference in their communities at a
special event at the Port of New Orleans Auditorium.

 

Honored at the Community Action Hero Awards and Showcase were Judge Robin D.
Pittman and Brian Washington, both of New Orleans; Jaime Johnson of Violet;
Ingrid Bergeron-LeBlanc of Convent; Diane Morris of Covington; and the
staffs of the Plaquemines Parish Community Action Agency and St. John
Department of Health and Human Services. The event also included a showcase
of the services the agencies offer to area residents through Community
Services Block Grant (CSBG) funding administered by the Louisiana Workforce
Commission (LWC).

 

St. Bernard Parish Government named Jaime Johnson, who serves as housing and
redevelopment program manager for the St. Bernard Parish Government, as its
Community Action Hero. "She is the definition of multi task. The word 'no'
is not in Jaime's vocabulary, especially when it comes to helping others,"
said Lorie Zylicz, assistant director of housing for St. Bernard, in her
nomination of Johnson. 

 

Johnson organized two successful community outreach events in the parish
this year that assisted 250 low-income families with energy bills, college
tuition, school supplies and school uniforms. "Jaime displays constant care
and concern with everyone she comes in contact with, often giving the
discouraged a sense of hope," Zylicz said. 

 

"I want to thank Jaime Johnson for going above and beyond to help low-income
persons receive the services available to them," said St. Bernard Parish
Craig P. Taffaro, Jr., who presented Johnson with a proclamation after the
ceremony. 

 

Total Community Action, Inc. (TCA), which serves Orleans Parish, selected
Robin D. Pittman, judge of the Orleans Parish Criminal District Court,
Section F, as its Community Action Hero. "She has been the No. 1 cheerleader
and volunteer for TCA youth programs," wrote Thelma Harris French,
president/CEO of TCA in her nomination of Pittman. Among her efforts, the
judge served as a volunteer facilitator at the Summer Youth Works summer
employment program and invited participants in TCA's Young Executives youth
enrichment program to participate in a CSI workshop and Mock Court. "Most
notable has been the sincere and supportive nature of her interaction with
every youth participant and agency staff member," French said. 

 

Jefferson Community Action Programs (JeffCAP), which serves Jefferson
Parish, named Brian Washington, customer service manager with Entergy
Louisiana LLC, as its Community Action Hero. "He works daily - often with
little recognition - to alleviate the struggles experienced by the
impoverished and working poor," said Nicole Ferrier, JeffCAP executive
director, in her nomination. 

 

Washington's efforts in promoting JeffCAP and its work "have provided
JeffCAP with the invaluable resources necessary to fulfill our agency's
mission of empowering the families of Jefferson Parish, including our
elderly, disabled, economically disadvantaged and youth, through our various
programs. JeffCAP is proud to honor Brian Washington for his professionalism
and for exemplifying a higher calling to help those in need," Ferrier said.

 

St. James Parish Department of Human Resources (DHR) selected Ingrid
Bergeron-LeBlanc as its Community Action Hero. As a young single mother,
Bergeron-LeBlanc enrolled her daughter in the parish agency's Head Start
program, only to return in 2001 with a master's degree to work for four
years as a social worker in the program, said St. James DHR Director Faye J.
Washington in her nomination. In 2008, Bergeron-LeBlanc returned to the Head
Start program as supervisor of the program that was going through major
transitions. "Despite all the challenges, she stepped in and quickly and
deftly handled everything thrown her way," said Washington. "Now, two years
later, the program is running smoothly."  

 

St. Tammany Parish Department of Community Action named Diane Morris, who
serves as outreach worker for the agency, as its Community Action Hero.
"For the past four years, she has assisted clients to alleviate their needs.
Despite her own personal hardships, she has managed to come into work
smiling with a positive attitude every day," said Manager Tanja Hill in her
nomination of Morris.

 

The staff of Plaquemines Parish Community Action Agency (CAA) was selected
by agency Executive Director Othella W. Hughes for its Community Action Hero
Award. "Plaquemines Parish CAA staffers have worked tirelessly, even though
the circumstances were at times difficult," Hughes said in her nomination,
pointing out the agency's efforts to assist 232 clients with utility
assistance and 15 clients with rental/mortgage assistance. The agency also
was able to hire 12 summer youth employees who worked in the Plaquemines
Parish Government. "The staffers of the Plaquemines Parish Community Action
Agency are more than employees; they are called to serve the residents of
Plaquemines Parish," Hughes said.

 

The staff of the St. John Department of Health and Human Resources was
selected for the agency's Community Action Hero Award for its collective
effort in assisting the clients of St. John the Baptist Parish. The staff
assisted local clients with food, medicine, rental/mortgage assistance,
computer classes, post-secondary degree books, transportation vouchers,
low-cost/no-cost weatherization, and staged a Homebuyers Fair and Wellness
Fair, said Executive Director Elois Joseph in her nomination.  Assistant
Director Angela Aubert accepted the award on behalf of the staff. 

 

Also recognized at the event was the St. Charles Parish Department of
Community Services. 

 

The awards were presented as part of the LWC's statewide promotion of
community action agencies that provide supportive services to help
low-income individuals become or remain self-sufficient. 

 

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