LaHouse Home & Landscape Resource Center

🏠 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗙𝗢𝗥𝗧𝗜𝗙𝗘𝗗 𝗥𝗢𝗢𝗙 𝗟𝗢𝗧𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗬 𝗢𝗣𝗘𝗡𝗦 𝗧𝗢𝗗𝗔𝗬!
Registration for the next round of the Louisiana Fortify Homes Program (LFHP) is officially OPEN as of 8 a.m. today! We will be awarding up to 3,000 grants – each worth $10,000 – to help Louisiana homeowners upgrade their roofs to better withstand hurricane-force winds.

⚠️ 𝗡𝗼 𝗡𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗥𝘂𝘀𝗵: The registration window is open for three full weeks, closing at 5 p.m. on Friday, June 19. Because participants are selected completely at random through a lottery, registering today gives you the exact same chance of being selected as registering on the very last day. Take your time to gather your documents!

📍 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝘀: This round includes expanded eligibility for several coastal areas, including brand-new access for Acadia, Jefferson Davis, and Lafayette parishes.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗡𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿:
🔸 Create a profile at FortifyHomes.La.Gov (or log into your existing one).
🔸 Upload your Homestead Exemption.
🔸 Upload your home insurance policy declarations page for wind coverage.
🔸 Upload your flood insurance declarations page if you live in a flood zone.

𝗡𝗼𝘁𝗲: 𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱, 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗺𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗹𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘆.

Register and learn more at FortifyHomes.La.Gov today!

https://ldi.la.gov/fortifyhomes

We had an incredible day at the EBR Parish 4-H Food Challenge Training, made possible through a grant secured by EBR 4-H members Amari Barber, Ella Hebert, Madison Franks, and Abigail Harr through Sodexo and Youth Service America.

Thanks to their leadership, four full teams were trained in the Louisiana 4-H Food Challenge, learning how to make healthy, delicious meals from everyday food pantry items, and supporting the Baton Rouge Food Pantry through food donations focused on addressing food insecurity.

Throughout the day, youth rotated through hands-on learning stations covering:
🥗 Nutrition & MyPlate
🧼 Food safety
🔪 Food preparation, plating, and equipment use
🗣️ Teamwork, communication, and presentation skills
💚 Food security and service

Then they put their skills into action—twice.

Working in timed team challenges, participants created healthy, balanced meals using everyday pantry items, gaining confidence and real competition experience along the way. They then presented their dishes to a panel of judges.

👏 In just one day, youth prepared their own lunch plus several complete meals, showing impressive growth, creativity, and teamwork.

🏆 The event concluded with a mock competition, judge presentations, and awards, giving participants a true taste of state-level competition.

Participants also committed to continuing their journey through the new EBR 4-H Food Challenge Club, where they’ll continue building skills through practice sessions, guest speakers, and new ingredient challenges leading up to competition season.

This initiative was led by the EBR Spice Girls who wrote and secured the grant to expand access, build skills, and help address childhood hunger through service and education.

This is what it looks like when youth don’t just participate—they lead.