If you want to make a difference in the lives of our children and their families, you’ve come to the right place – Anna’s Place NOLA
Anna’s Place NOLA is a year-round youth education and mentorship program of St. Anna’s Episcopal Church that has served 1000 young people since its founding in 2010. Located in the Tremé neighborhood, Anna’s Place NOLA takes a whole child approach to disrupting the cycles of poverty and violence prevalent in New Orleans by providing year-round mentorship, interdisciplinary instruction, and outside educational and cultural experiences.
OUR MISSION
The mission of Anna’s Place NOLA is to open the door to success for underserved local youth by fostering moral and ethical behavior, academic achievement, life skills, and workforce readiness.
We aim to be a place of peace, a second home where children realize their potential, and where families and the community are nurtured so that poverty and violence no longer make their home among us.
The Problem
As the birthplace of Jazz and the Mardi Gras Indians, the cultural legacy of the Tremé is world renowned. Although historic, beautiful, and full of potential, the Tremé and surrounding neighborhoods are also deeply impacted by systemic inequity, poverty, failing schools, violent crime, and trauma.
Our Service Area
The average income in our service area is
a year vs.
a year in Orleans Parish.
of our residents live in poverty.
identify as Black/African American.
are single parent households.
of children live with grandparents.
The average life expectancy is
years old vs.
years old in Orleans Parish.
Our Students
of the students of Anna’s Place NOLA live at or below the poverty level.
of our students identify as Black/African American.
attend low-performing schools that have received a C rating or below.
Breaking Cycles of Poverty and Violence
Fourteen years ago, three very young children lived with their young, unemployed, mother and her boyfriend, a drug dealer. The expectation was that the son would follow in the footsteps of all the males in the family and begin dealing drugs. However, thanks to an aunt who participated in St. Anna’s food pantry, the children were enrolled in a newly-formed youth ministry, Anna’s Arts for Kids, the predecessor of Anna’s Place NOLA. Five years later, the family was left destitute when the mother’s boyfriend was killed. Anna’s Place NOLA supported the youth through their grief and St. Anna’s Episcopal Church provided counseling, financial support, and hope to the family. Encouraged by St. Anna’s community, the mother not only found employment, but actively engaged in the welfare of her children for the first time. The oldest daughter graduated salutatorian from her high school and in 2025 graduated Cum Laude with a degree in Public Health Sciences from a local university. The son graduated from high school and is now employed at a national home improvement store and is contemplating college. The younger daughter also graduated from high school and recently graduated from community college with an Associate Degree in Home Healthcare.
Our Response
Seeing the need just outside our door, in 2010 St. Anna’s Episcopal Church began a mission of youth outreach to the children of our neighborhood called “Anna’s Arts for Kids”. In 2015, the name of the program was changed to “Anna’s Place NOLA”. In that time, we have served 1000 youth and their families by building relationships with them and loving them in word and deed.
Anna’s Place NOLA Offers
- A safe, welcoming, and inclusive facility for youth between the ages of 5 and 18 with comprehensive after-school and summer programming
- Assessment of each student’s academic proficiency and emotional state to identify needed improvement, develop a plan to address those needs, monitor improvement, and provide advocacy with school officials to assure necessary services are provided
- Academic enhancement for youth attending poor-performing schools – reading, vocabulary, STEM activities, homework help, tutoring
- Social, emotional, and life skills training – morality/ethics, music therapy, teamwork, non-violent expression of feelings, gardening, nutrition, health/wellness
- Arts education to stimulate creativity – instrumental and vocal music, dance, visual arts
- Job readiness and career preparation – interviewing and work-related social skills, work ethic, leadership, resume writing, financial management
- College, trade school, and private/specialty school preparation – ACT test prep, application guidance
- Exposure to new experiences – field trips to college campuses, science labs, art museums, orchestral, operatic and dramatic performances, and outdoor education and experiences
- African-American cultural education – history, art, music, and racial-ethnic socialization
- A healthy, hot meal during every session
- Transportation to the program for students who need it
How Anna’s Place NOLA Stands Out
- We operate both during the school year and for four weeks in the summer.
- We offer a comprehensive arts-based curriculum instead of singular programming with 560 hours of educational instruction and training each year.
- While we focus our recruitment of youth in our surrounding community, if a student’s family moves to other areas of Orleans Parish, we provide transportation to and from the program to remain a consistent presence in their lives.
- Enrollment is not based on qualifications or evaluations (grades, audition, etc.).
- We are tuition free – we take a “no kid left behind” approach.
- We build relationships with parents and youth to engage parents in youth development.
- We foster understanding and acceptance of others through diverse leadership, staff and volunteers, including a community of volunteer mentors from St. Anna’s Episcopal Church.
Excelling in Academics
“Anna’s Place has allowed me to pursue my work with peace of mind knowing that my kids are in a safe environment after school. The program has changed my son’s life by helping him get into Jesuit, which will give ‘im opportunities he wouldn’t have gotten if not in the program. Anna’s Place has gotten my son to work on achieving his education and career goals. He has decided that he wants to go to Yale University and become a chemist. The staff has connected me with additional resources in times of need and the program has given my son a bright future.”
Discovering Dreams and Creating New Leaders
“I’ve had 3 grandchildren enrolled in the program over the years. The program has provided them experiences they would not have gotten anywhere else. They learned to play instruments, visited places I nor their mothers would have taken them, and gave them the desire to achieve lifelong goals. My grandson has big dreams – he wants to major in Internet Technology which he was introduced to through this program. He also has developed into a young man who wants to be a leader, thanks to his experience at Anna’s Place.”
The Next Chapter of Anna’s Place NOLA – Dodwell House
Dodwell House is a newly renovated 1846 historic cottage on Esplanade Avenue in the Tremé neighborhood that is the new home of Anna’s Place NOLA. Dodwell House will allow for the expansion of our programs and student body and will serve as a much-needed community center for the neighborhood.
In 2025, Anna’s Place NOLA will:
- Increase total yearly enrollment from 125 to 175 students in spring, summer, and fall sessions
- Add a fourth day of classes each week in spring and fall sessions for a yearly total of 100 days of programming
- Add additional arts and crafts faculty and a lead academic teacher
- Introduce new curriculum and expand workforce development program for older students
The footprint of Dodwell will allow for a robust recreation program and an expanded gardening program. Dodwell’s interior facilities and courtyard space will provide opportunities for the training portion of the DAWN workplace readiness program. With the future opening of the Carter Cafe in Dodwell House, older students will be trained in the hospitality industry, management, administration, and culinary skills. Our arts program will focus on creating performance ensembles that will broaden the exposure of our students and the program to the community. The double parlor offers ideal space for dance and theater instruction and performance.
Results
of the students who stick with our program graduate from high school.
of our youth reported feeling academically supported after joining the program.
of our students say they like school more after joining the program.
Our students show a
average improvement in spelling and reading comprehension.
Our students experience a
improvement in STEM subjects, communication, and general health and wellness in the program.
Many of our students who were attending failing schools were able to get
to attend some of the best schools in the city after attending our program.
Our Facility
Dodwell House before renovation
Dodwell House after renovation
St. Anna’s Episcopal Church purchased the house and fully restored it to serve as both a home for Anna’s Place and as a community center for the neighborhood. The future of Anna’s Place NOLA relies on donors who share our passion for providing a safe space and nurturing environment to the youth of New Orleans. The chilcren of Treme deserve to grow and flourish in a place as beautiful as their heritage.
The Success of Anna’s Place NOLA Depends on Your Support
Dear Friends,
Join us in changing lives and shaping futures! Your financial support helps continue the transformative work at Anna’s Place NOLA. Together, we can break the cycle of poverty and violence, and create a vibrant, hope-filled community where every child can succeed.
At Anna’s Place NOLA, children and youth can realize their full potential in a safe, stable, and nurturing environment. Our unique combination of music, visual arts, academics, life skills, and workforce readiness enables our students to flourish and thrive. With the financial support of generous donors who car, our students can do great things!
To make your financial contribution to Anna’s Place NOLA:
- CHECK – Make checks payable to St. Anna’s Episcopal Church, designating Anna’s Place NOLA as the subject in the memo section
- QR Code – Follow our QR code to Zeffy
- ONLINE – Use the DONATE button below
To talk about tax efficient giving strategies with a member of our fundraising committee or to discuss ways to support our work in your estate plans, please email us at rector@stannanola.org.
As a ministry of St. Anna’s Episcopal Church, a 501c3 non-profit organization, 100% of all gifts made specifically to Anna’s Place NOLA are used exclusively for Anna’s Place NOLA and are tax deductible as charitable donations to the extent allowed by law.
Thank you for supporting Anna’s Place NOLA!
Faithfully,
The Rev. Allison Reid
Rector
St. Anna’s Episcopal Church
Darryl Durham
Founder
Anna’s Place NOLA
Anna’s Place NOLA Address:
1313 Esplanade Avenue
New Orleans, LA 70116
(St. Anna’s Episcopal Church Doing Business as Anna’s Place NOLA)
Church Address:
1313 Esplanade Avenue
New Orleans, LA 70116
Dodwell House Address:
1519 Esplanade Avenue
New Orleans, LA 70116