Congratulations to our Executive Director, Verni Howard! Verni Howard, Providence House was recognized at October event.
(Shreveport, LA) — This October, the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation will honor ten everyday Louisianians doing extraordinary good for the state’s children at the 2017 Angel Award® ceremony. Among them is Verni Howard of Shreveport, who has given selflessly to improve the health and well-being of area children.
Verni Howard is the executive director of Providence House, a Shreveport-area nonprofit that provides a shelter and child development center for homeless men and women with children. Of the 250 people supported by Providence House, more than half are children, who benefit from the organization’s housing, education programs, child care, parenting classes and more.
Howard has an accomplished background in finance and moved to Shreveport to pursue work that was more meaningful to her personally. She has applied her for-profit business acumen to grow the Providence House to assist more homeless men and women by growing capacity and programs.
“Homelessness isn’t helplessness,” says Howard. “We can end these cycles by breaking down stereotypes around who the homeless are as people.”
“We’re deeply proud of Verni,” says Foundation president Michael Tipton. “Along with our other Angels, we hold her up to show everyone how everyday goodness takes hold and spreads in a way that completely changes the future for our children.”
This year’s honorees were chosen from a record number of nominations submitted from across the state, from New Orleans to Shreveport. Each Angel will receive a $20,000 grant to the charity of their choice to deepen the impact of their work.
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The work of the 2017 class of Angels ranges from supporting Louisiana’s foster children to community development and education. Each is notable for a long-term commitment that has inspired others and built a movement around bettering the lives of children.
The stories of each Angel will be told at an invitation-only presentation ceremony to be held Monday, Oct. 16 at the Renaissance Baton Rouge Hotel. More information, including a full list of this year’s honorees, is available at www.bcbslafoundation.org
About the Blue Cross Foundation
The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation works each day to improve the health and lives of Louisianians by empowering everyday people to do extraordinary good. By building and funding coalitions of friends, families and neighbors, the Foundation hopes to build a healthier Louisiana, particularly for its children. The foundation is funded solely by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana, but is a separate 501(c)(3) non-profit entity. Together, Blue Cross and the Blue Cross Foundation invest $2.5 million each year into Louisiana’s communities and nonprofits.
Michael Tipton, BCBSF