About CDI
The Community Development Initiative is the community-facing arm of St. Luke Missionary Baptist Church, designed as a faith-centered ecosystem to stabilize children, youth, and families in Newellton and Tensas Parish, Louisiana.
Demographic reality
Our program structure is built around the conditions our community actually faces:
- High child poverty rates
- Educational support gaps
- Technology limitations
- Rural transportation barriers
- Workforce instability
- Limited youth opportunity access
Program goals
Reduce food insecurity
Improve academic performance
Increase workforce readiness
Support children with disabilities
Strengthen family stability
Expand technology access
Build leadership and confidence
Create long-term community stabilization
Long-term vision
CDI is designed to become:
- An educational support center
- A disability-inclusive support ecosystem
- A workforce development pipeline
- A nutritional support structure
- A youth leadership incubator
- A rural community recovery model