Houma-Thibodaux non-profits awarded for Excellence in Service

Houma’s Catholic Social Services of the Diocese and START Corporation were recently honored as certified non-profit organization by the Allstate Foundation and the Louisiana Association of Non-Profit Organizations (LANO).

The two groups were awarded $500 grants by the foundation to help better serve the community.

“Becoming a certified nonprofit organization illustrates a nonprofit’s passion and commitment to the communities they serve. It also demonstrates an accountability by an organization to donors, volunteers, service providers and nonprofit colleagues,” said Jan Epstein, executive director of The Allstate Foundation. “The Allstate Foundation is proud to support these organizations and LANO’s ongoing efforts to provide the services and guidance that nonprofit organizations need to serve individuals and families across Louisiana.”

LANO implemented the Louisiana Standards for Excellence program in 2000, creating a uniform language for addressing organization excellence and accountable, effective management for non-profit groups statewide.

The standards are based on honesty, integrity, fairness respect, trust, responsibility and accountability.

Certification is voluntary and is based on eight organizational areas: mission and program, governing body, conflict of interest, human resources, financial and legal, openness, fund-raising and public policy and public affairs.

To date, 56 Louisiana non-profit groups have been certified.

“Establishing and following standards for operations and service is essential for Louisiana’s nonprofit community to continue to grow and remain effective in their communities,” said Melissa Flournoy, president and CEO of LANO. “LANO has distributed 15,000 booklets outlining our Standards for Excellence program and trained hundreds of nonprofit leaders to spread the message of excellence and accountability.”

Three students – Mallory Babin, Christen Broggi and Austin Landry – from St. Francis de Sales Cathedral Elementary School in Houma were chosen as winners of the American Dental Association Contest. The entries totaled more than 500, and only 16 were selected as winners. The students are pictured with Houma dentist Dr. Danny Melancon. * Photo courtesy of ST. FRANCIS de SALES CATHEDRAL SCHOOL