Smile community action agency proposes to improve lives, strengthen communities, and foster civic engagement by providing service and volunteering in the focus areas of healthy futures, veterans and…

Smile community action agency proposes to improve lives, strengthen communities, and foster civic engagement by providing service and volunteering in the focus areas of healthy futures, veterans and military families, and education and economic opportunity. The agency, incorporated in 1968 to address poverty as part of the economic opportunity act, has served more than five decades as a leading provider of social services that promote independent living for disadvantaged populations in south louisiana. Through rsvp, smile will place 75 volunteers at work stations across ST. Martin parish, including parish seat of ST. Martinville where the agency's ST. Martin parish community action center is located, and its smaller adjacent cities and towns, which are also rural in nature. By utilizing a cadre of committed volunteers, smile will make a difference in the community that still experiences poverty compounded by the economic fallout of covid-19, which has drastically impacted the oil industry and tourism in a region that is popular globally for its unique cultures, cuisine, music and traditions. According to recent census figures, ST. Martin parish's poverty rate is 19.3%, but this was before the economic devastation from covid-19, which made IT worse -- and now compounded recently by hurricane laura. While the category 4 hurricane made landfall about an hour and half away in lake charles, smile's TRI-parish region was impacted, particularly as lake charles evacuees seek relocation and assistance. Smile's budget totals $83,340, including federal fund of $75,000 (90%) and non-federal funds of $8,340 (10%).