About Us
New Orleans is built on a vibrant and culturally rich foundation where celebration is a way of life. Sadly, our city is also known for poverty, violence, neglect and corruption. The St. Roch neighborhood is no stranger to both the glories and the pains of New Orleans. St. Roch CDC however, lives with a vision of a redeemed community— where men and women are gainfully employed, where small businesses thrive, where kids can play in the park without the fear of guns or drugs, where neighbors own their homes, where faith is strengthened and where people are empowered and encouraged to join in the community transformation.
St. Roch CDC is a 501(c)3 Christian organization which partners with local churches and other like-minded organizations to empower individuals and revitalize the St. Roch neighborhood and similar under-resourced New Orleans communities by offering Christ-centered programs and services to help meet the physical, spiritual, economic and cultural needs of individuals and families. We seek to equip people with training and resources to improve their lives & community and connect people with a broader network of people who will help champion their efforts so that dignity, families and our community is restored.
Our vision is to see individuals empowered to change their lives, families and community.
Our mission is to serve as a catalyst to help lift people out of material and asset poverty and wholistically restore our community.
We do this by:
- equipping individuals & families for success with their personal finances
- providing soft skill jobs training to help people obtain gainful employment
- empowering entrepreneurs to launch or grow small business enterprises
- connecting people to allies who will champion their efforts
- developing affordable housing
- building family, community and cultural assets
- advocating for justice and equity in our community
History: In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, the community development needs of the 8th and 9th wards of New Orleans were endless. In light of the overwhelming task at hand, St. Roch Community Church (SRCC) launched a community development corporation, called St. Roch CDC (“the CDC”), to address the felt needs of the community. Since its inception, St. Roch CDC has completely renovated six units of housing and four commercial spaces, including an art gallery and program space for the church. Additionally the CDC provided assistance with small project repairs for dozens of homeowners and helped advocate for several public and infrastructure improvements. The CDC served as an IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance site for several years serving over 300 clients. In 2009, the CDC started teaching financial literacy and has since served over 60 clients. In 2012, the first jobs training course was offered and saw eight graduates. The CDC has also provided technical assistance to three start-up non-profits and a new art gallery owner. As the CDC moves forward, it is working to bolster its efforts with financial literacy, jobs training and small business development. Throughout its five years of existence, the CDC has utilized over one thousand volunteers in its programs and services.
