Kelita Green has almost grown up in a Community Renewal Friendship House, having been involved for more than half of her young life. The impact, she says, has been life-changing.
“People here care about us. It brightens my day to come here,” she said.
“If I’ve had a bad day at school, I can come here and feel happy.”
Kelita is a 16-year-old sophomore at Bossier High School. She is active in the Youth Club at the Barksdale Annex Friendship House in Bossier City. Her plan is to attend college and then law school. Her first stop after classes each day right now, though, is the Friendship House.
“This helps all the kids in our neighborhood. It is a place to meet people and have fun and forget about everything else. This makes our neighborhood safer. I consider it a home away from home,” she said.
“I always have someone here to encourage me to keep going. We have daily devotions and I like that. And I like it that we get help here with our homework. My grades are better because of the Friendship House.”
Kelita says her neighborhood is also turning into a better place because of the Friendship House and the various Community Renewal activities and service projects that take place there.
“Neighbors here are more caring now. When we had a bake sale recently, neighbors came out to support us,” she said.
“I like that. I want this neighborhood to be safe for all the kids, where you don’t have to worry. Kids should be able to play in their own yard and not worry.”
One of the lessons Kelita has learned at the Friendship House is the value of service. The teenagers involved there have helped with neighborhood clean-ups, caring outreach efforts to local residents and many other projects.
“I enjoy volunteering and helping others. Any opportunity I get, I volunteer. It makes me feel good about myself to think about others and not just myself,” she said.
