President’s Message – January 8, 2026

Reclaim – Renew – Revitalize

Reclaiming the community is not an easy task.  When there are challenges, it requires buy in from all individuals who depend on the neighborhood. As a committed community entity, the MLK-CDC has shown its dedicated commitment to the Cooper Road/MLK community for more than 23 years. The footprint of this organization is viable & sustainable within our community as evidenced by some projects listed here:

2025 – Recap of completed community services and projects.

• Completed clean-ups with the Green Oaks JROTC and other students & several community volunteers in the spring & summer of 2025.
• When solicited, we assist our members/senior citizens with free legal counsel in the area of oil and gas leasing agreements.
• Crime statistics are given at meetings monthly indicated continued low crime in the area.
• Instated two new programs – Parents on Purpose & Cooper Road Beautification Coalition.
• School tutoring projects for six schools, including a Special Summer Session- proved very fruitful. There are no “F” schools in our area. Green Oaks High School is at “B” status scoring in the top 50 for CLEP across the country. Only 3 other schools in Caddo achieved the same rating.
• Summer camps support included the Girls Butterfly Camp & Boys Camp with students from several SPAR facilities.
• Over 180 parents/students in the MLK area filled the back to school “Parenting Seminar” which provides information regarding school uniforms, attendance, and other school updates. School uniforms are distributed all school year.
• School uniforms have been a primary target for more than 17 years for students attending any Title-1 school in Caddo Parish and the Homeless program.
• Fall still brings support for community gatherings on educating citizens. This year targeted “Domestic Violence Awareness” and the “Senior’s Walk for Breast Cancer Awareness” both completed in October.
• The organization continues to offer classes for those desiring to start a business free of charge to the public – Spring & Fall.
• Thanksgiving outreach 2025 included over 160 turkey baskets and Christmas outreach included 8 cooked dinners supplied to the handicapped & elderly in various communities within the city.
• 2025 Christmas outreach included shopping for more than 250 underserved children in need of warm clothing, along with several families in need of groceries, and other essentials. Over 300 individuals were impacted. Also, we partnered with the MLK-Hawg Riders motorcycle club, Shriners Abduhl Temple #94, and Abduhl Daughters Court #103 providing toys and gift cards to many students for Christmas. This year each child received a teddy bear along with their clothing bags.

Thanks to each of you for your continued support of these and other community efforts.

Irma D. Rogers, Board President