The recipient entity's physical address:
           2220 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd.
New Orleans, LA 70113

The recipient entity's mailing address (if different):
           2220 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd.
New Orleans, LA 70113

Type of Entity (for instance, a nonprofit corporation):  Non-Profit Corporation

If the entity is a corporation, list the names of the incorporators:
          N/A

The last four digits of the entity's taxpayer ID number:  8019

What is the dollar amount of the request?  $130,000

What type of request is this?  Capital Outlay Appropriation

Is this entity in good standing with the Secretary of State?  Yes

Provide the name of each member of the recipient entity's governing board and officers:
           Erika Mann - Chief Executive Officer
2220 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd.
New Orleans, LA 70113
(use this address for CEO and all Board members)

Tenisha Stevens - Board Chair
Matthew Dorset - Board Secretary
Gregory Phillips Board Treasurer
Gregory Curtis
Tiree Boykins
Joseph Belisle
Janee Patin
Brandy Smith

Provide a summary of the project or program:
           Located in a neighborhood with deep historical and cultural roots, the Dryades YMCA has served as a pillar of strength and opportunity for African American families for more than a century. The library within our facility—originally part of the Dryades Branch Library built in 1915—was the first municipally-supported library for African Americans in New Orleans. It is more than a room; it is a legacy.
This project aims to restore and upgrade the library, making it a space for literacy programming, digital learning, community meetings, youth development, and the preservation of local African American heritage. The $130,000 funding will cover critical structural repairs, technology enhancements, new furnishings, and curated programming designed to ensure equitable access to knowledge and cultural resources for underserved populations in Central City New Orleans and beyond.
The Dryades YMCA was founded in 1905 and has long been committed to serving New Orleans' African American community. The YMCA’s current facility, which houses the former Dryades Branch Library, occupies a significant place in both local and national history. Designed as part of the Carnegie library movement, the Dryades Branch Library was established during the Jim Crow era and was the only public library in New Orleans open to Black patrons until integration.
In recent years, there has been renewed recognition of the cultural and historical significance of the building, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Community stakeholders, historians, educators, and former patrons have all expressed strong interest in seeing the library restored as a vibrant part of the YMCA’s programmatic offerings.
Central City remains one of New Orleans’ most under-resourced neighborhoods, facing challenges related to poverty, underemployment, housing instability, and educational disparities. Many residents—especially youth and seniors—lack access to safe, enriching, and culturally affirming spaces. Public libraries and digital access points are limited, and COVID-19 has only deepened these divides.
The library will not only fill service gaps—it will empower residents by reaffirming the value of their stories, identities, and potential. The Library Refurbishment Project will modernize and reprogram the existing space to meet current community needs while preserving its architectural and cultural character. Project objectives include: restoration of the library’s interior and exterior, modernization for 21st-Century use, technology and media center development and program development and community engagement.
We anticipate serving hundreds of youth and adults annually through library programming, with anticipated outcomes. The Dryades YMCA is committed to sustaining the library beyond the initial refurbishment through integration with ongoing YMCA youth development and wellness programs, partnerships with local schools, nonprofits, and universities; volunteer and internship opportunities for community members and students; and the pursuit of additional funding through grants, donations, and public-private partnerships.
Over time, the restored library will serve as a living memorial to the power of education, community resilience, and cultural pride. Its influence will extend well beyond its walls, inspiring future generations to lead, learn, and love where they live.
The Dryades YMCA Library Refurbishment Project represents a unique opportunity to honor the past while investing in the future. With your support, we will preserve an essential piece of New Orleans history and create a dynamic, welcoming space where learning and cultural identity thrive side by side. We respectfully request this funding to bring this vision to life and thank you for considering this important investment in our community.

What is the budget relative to the project for which funding is requested?:
          Salaries. . . . . . . . . . . . . $0
          Professional Services. . . $0
          Contracts . . . . . . . . . . . $0
          Acquisitions . . . . . . . . . $0
          Major Repairs . . . . . . . $50,000
          Operating Services. . . . $30,000
          Other Charges. . . . . . . $500,000

Does your organization have any outstanding audit issues or findings?  No

If 'Yes' is your organization working with the appropriate governmental agencies to resolve those issues or findings?
          

What is the entity's public purpose, sought to be achieved through the use of state monies?
          The public purpose of the Dryades YMCA Library Refurbishment Project is to restore a historically significant space and transform it into a modern, accessible hub for literacy, cultural enrichment, and digital inclusion in one of New Orleans’ most underserved neighborhoods—Central City. Through this effort, the Dryades YMCA seeks to honor Louisiana’s cultural legacy while addressing urgent and ongoing disparities in education, access to technology, and community engagement.

With the support of $130,000 in state funding, this project will preserve a vital piece of African American history listed on the National Register of Historic Places, while ensuring that present and future generations can benefit from equitable access to learning resources. The renovated library will support the state’s public objectives by offering year-round programming that aligns with statewide goals in youth development, literacy improvement, digital equity, and cultural preservation.

The project exemplifies the public good by blending historic preservation with forward-looking service delivery. State funding will not only restore a cornerstone of local heritage but will activate it for public benefit—reinvigorating a space that once defined civic progress and positioning it to serve as a model of inclusive, community-driven transformation.

What are the goals and objectives for achieving such purpose?
          The goals and objectives of the Dryades YMCA Library Refurbishment Project are rooted in a deep desire to reconnect the community with a powerful piece of its history while creating a space that meets the needs of today. That means repairing the structure, honoring the original architecture, and preserving elements that tell the story of those who came before us.

At the same time, we want the library to be a living, breathing place that helps people grow. This plan would include to modernizing the space by adding better lighting, internet access, comfortable furniture, and new technology like computers and printers—tools that many of our residents still don’t have access to at home. This will be a place where kids can do homework after school, adults can build job skills, and seniors can reconnect with a love of reading or learning something new.

Another big part of the vision is about connection—connecting generations, connecting people to their culture, and connecting neighbors through shared stories and learning experiences. Dryades YMCA will offer reading programs, tutoring, cultural workshops, and community events that speak to the history and pride of Central City. Working with local schools, colleges, and cultural organizations, we’ll make sure the programming is meaningful, accessible, and ongoing.

Ultimately, the goal is to breathe life back into a historic space and make it a source of inspiration, education, and community for years to come. We want every person who walks through those library doors to feel welcome, supported, and proud of where they come from, and where they’re going.

What is the proposed length of time estimated by the entity to accomplish the purpose?
           3 to 6 months

If any elected or appointed state official or an immediate family member of such an official is an officer, director, trustee, or employee of the recipient entity who receives compensation or holds any ownership interest therein:
     (a) If an elected or appointed state official, the name and address of the official and the office held by such person:
                
    
     (b) If an immediate family member of an elected or appointed state official, the name and address of such person; the name, address, and office of the official to whom the person is related; and the nature of the relationship:
                

     (c) The percentage of the official's or immediate family member's ownership interest in the recipient entity, if any:
                

     (d) The position, if any, held by the official or immediate family member in the recipient entity:
                 

If the recipient entity has a contract with any elected or appointed state official or an immediate family member of such an official or with the state or any political subdivision of the state:
(a) If the contract is with an elected or appointed state official, provide the name and address of the official and the office held by such person: 
               

(b) If the contract is with an immediate family member of an elected or appointed state official:
          Provide the name and address of such person:
              

          Provide the name, address, and office of the official to whom the person is related:
               

          What is the nature of the relationship? 

(c) If the contract is with the state or a political subdivision of the state, provide the name and address of the state entity or political subdivision of the state:
                

(d) The nature of the contract, including a description of the goods or services provided or to be provided pursuant to the contract:
               


Contact Information
name:  Erika Mann 
                                       address:  2220 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd.
New Orleans, LA 70113
                                       phone:  (504) 208-9877
                                       fax: 
                                       e-mail:  emann@dryadesymca.com
                                       relationship to entity:  Chief Executive Officer