Dear Friends and Supporters,

I’m thrilled to serve as incoming Board President of the Travelers Aid Society of Greater New Orleans.  The staff and board at this agency are a group of talented individuals who are changing lives in our community every day. I’m thankful to be a part of this team.

It is with great pleasure that I welcome Donna Paramore, CFRE, as our new Executive Director. Donna brings with her passion, ambition and more than 16 years of nonprofit leadership and fund development expertise to our team. She has spent her career advocating for at-risk populations within our community.   Her efforts have raised millions and positively impacted so many individuals. From agency strategic planning to creating marketing initiatives, Donna is a well-rounded professional who will help lead us into the future.  She fits in perfectly with the dynamic team we have at our agency. Thank you to everyone who has supported our work during this executive search and a special thank you to our board members for their support.

As Donna and I both enter our first year together, we look forward to working with everyone to continue our great legacy of service to New Orleans. With your help we can help eliminate homelessness and give families the tools they need to be self-sufficient.

Sincerely Yours,

Jared Matthews

Dear Friends and Supporters, 

I’m extremely honored and excited to serve as the new Executive Director of the Travelers Aid Society of Greater New Orleans.  To be a part of an agency with 160-year legacy of service is both humbling and inspiring. In my first weeks in this new role, I have spent time with staff, board members and clients  learning about the history and work of the agency.  The people who lead this organization are passionate, driven and talented individuals who love this community and want to see its citizens prosper and thrive.  The work of the Traveler’s Aid Society– to prevent homelessness and to help homeless or stranded families and individuals regain a self-sufficient lifestyle- is critical to eradicating poverty in our community and all over the world.

Here at the Travelers Aid Society of Greater New Orleans we support individuals during some of life’s darkest moments and hardest challenges. From emergency shelter and crisis counseling to providing a meal to someone who’s hungry, we create a safe place for our citizens and give them the strength they need to move past these challenges.  After working with our social workers one client stated, “I’m destined for greater things than being homeless.” This client’s feeling of hope and strong determination to better their life, drives me in my new role.  It shows just how critical this organization is to the well-being of New Orleans’s vulnerable citizens.

 I have spent my career in the nonprofit industry working for better education and programming for Louisiana’s children and families.  It is my strong belief that if every individual is given access to the right tools, we can eliminate homelessness, poverty and educational barriers for our vulnerable communities. I’m proud of the Travelers Aid Society of Greater New Orleans and thankful to be welcomed to this great team.

Sincerely Yours,

Donna Paramore CFRE 

When I first met SL in the Downtown Public Library, he whispered to me across a crowded room near the circulation stacks, “I’m ready to change my life”. SL was facing daily challenges because he was trying to maintain a steady job as a professional mover, while sleeping under bridges and in public parks. SL told me that he had been homeless all summer, and that he was “tired an worn-out” from the constant instability of his life at the time. After a quick assessment (during which we discussed his employment & desired housing situation), I referred SL to the Rapid Re-Entry Housing Program at Travelers Aid Society. During his two weeks of appointments I encouraged him to. . .