President’s Message

President’s Message

January 31, 2025
From: Irma F. D. Rogers, Board President
To: The MLK-CDC Board & Membership

Celebrating 22 years of community service the Martin Luther King – Community Development Corporation is poised to continue collaborating with positive alliances throughout the city and parish to bring the best in services to this area and beyond. The annual programs have been updated to include more services for our citizens. The Business/Entrepreneurship program is now in its fourth year. It appears that several other parishes across the state are now adopting the Basic Teaching style initiated with the Summer Basics in 2021 by MLK-CDC. This organization is still focused on improving our community through such programs as continued representation for the community at the City Council, Parish Commission & Metropolitan Planning commission meetings and others listed here:

  • Clean-ups were also completed with the Green Oaks JROTC and other students & several community volunteers in the spring & fall of 2024.
  • Assisting our senior citizens with free legal counsel in the area of oil and gas leasing agreements.
  • Crime Statistics reports are still given monthly to inform the citizenry of our low crime rate for the area’s size and number of people.
  • Enhanced tutoring projects expanded to include a Special Summer Session- Summer    Basics for targeted area elementary schools with phenomenal staffing and overall success.
  • Summer camps support included the Girls Butterfly Camp and Boys Camp. Participants were students from several different SPAR facilities, targeting crime prevention with presentations from local leaders and law enforcement.
  • Back to school “Parenting Seminar” is required prior to distributing over 300 backpacks and uniforms for students in the MLK area, several parents attended this event.
  • School uniforms are still a primary target for more than 16 years based on grant funds, which covers students attending any Title-1 school in Caddo Parish and the Homeless program – (McKinney Vento).
  • Fall still brings support for community gatherings on educating citizens – targeting crime prevention and other topics such as responding to “Man Made & Natural Disasters and the “Senior’s Walk for Breast Cancer” prevention both completed in October-2024.
  • The organization continues to offer classes for those desiring to start a business/entrepreneurship free of charge to the public from the organization.
  • Thanksgiving outreach 2024 included over 125 turkey baskets with 13 cooked dinners supplied to the elderly and disabled in various communities within the city.
  • Christmas outreach shopping for the underserved for more than 300 which includes children in need of warm clothing along with several families in need of groceries and other essentials. Also, partnering with the MLK-Hawg Riders motorcycle club, Shriners Abduhl Temple #94 and Abduhl Daughters Court #103 provided toys and gift cards to some students in need and the underserved for Christmas.

I take this time to thank all of our members, corporate sponsors, volunteers and this board for your unwavering support to help fill the gaps in services for this community and beyond. Now embarking upon the next 22 years the organization has a renewed vow to continue its exemplary community & outreach services. The public facility continues to house and offer several beneficial programs to our citizens. I am confident through God’s grace and strength this organization will continue moving forward in the future.

Sincerely,

Irma D. Rogers
Board President

MLKCDC – Martin Luther King Community Development