Awareness - Prevention- Treatment

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Our Mission is to tackle child abuse & its repercussions in the communities of and surrounding New Orleans by promoting awareness, prevention, and treatment, and meeting physical and mental health needs.

Needs Listen To Kids Addresses:

Unmet needs are the foundation of trauma, so healing comes when needs are met in healthy ways. When we started in 2017, our focus was on providing food, clothing, journals & art supplies for kids seeking help at the New Orleans Child Advocacy Center. Over time we expanded to help kids working with Homeland Security Investigations child trafficking rescue, Orleans Juvenile Court, and local youth shelters. When we were eventually able to provide funding for counseling, it was a game changer. We saw other needs fall into place once mental health needs were being professionally addressed.

So now we concentrate our efforts on providing funding for high quality therapy for kids.

Our History

Listen to Kids, established by Michelle Scandurro in December 2017, is dedicated to addressing the essential needs of adolescents who have experienced abuse and trauma. The organization was conceived in response to the pressing challenges faced by vulnerable youth, specifically focusing on the provision of clothing and essential resources.

Operating through a multi-disciplinary professional network that includes schools, churches, Child Advocacy Centers, juvenile justice programs, and healthcare professionals, over the years Listen to Kids has implemented several key initiatives:

Clothing and Essentials: The organization has developed and maintained a clothing closet at the New Orleans Child Advocacy Center (NOCAC), providing new outfits for teens in need, as well as distributing toiletries to homeless youth at Covenant House NOLA.
Emergency Support: Listen to Kids has provided emergency groceries and essential supplies to adolescents rescued from trafficking and those living independently, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Empowerment and Training: The organization has facilitated trauma-specific training for youth health providers, enhancing their capacity to support affected adolescents. Workshops such as "Intro to Mindfulness" have been offered to promote well-being among service providers and a workshop for kids entitled "Youth Mental Health" was offered in collaboration with a high school senior's youth event.
Community Awareness: Listen to Kids has conducted awareness campaigns, including the distribution of pinwheels for Child Abuse Awareness Month and the dissemination of handwritten notes of encouragement to adolescents in crisis.

Through these initiatives, Listen to Kids has made a significant impact on the lives of numerous young individuals, ensuring they receive the necessary support and resources to heal and thrive in their environments.

The Legacy School, Inc. DBA Listen to Kids

New Orleans, Louisiana 70130