Who We Are

Louisiana Alliance Focused on Redefining Communities Everywhere (LAFORCE) is a 501(c ) 3) tax-exempt public charity and grant-making organization that provides vital support to the community.

LAFORCE’s operational purpose is primarily to provide resources, supplies, boarding, counseling, social activities, childcare services, family resource counseling, daytime and nighttime respite care, and training for children or persons with at-risk behaviors, including but not limited to prevention of cruelty/neglect to children and persons, and assistance with special needs or disabilities.

In addition to our main purpose, we also provide strategic planning, grant writing, training, support, program management and evaluation to early childhood providers, community organizations, school systems, government entities and municipalities with a mission to positively impact community outcomes through work with children, families, educators, and other community members.

Our History

LAFORCE was founded in January 2023 by Tessa Holloway in response to her designation as an emergency childcare placement for the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) after seeing the need of children and families for vital resources and support necessary for them to survive and thrive. Because of her full-time work as an owner of childcare centers, the work continued, but expansion wasn’t possible until August 2024 when an Executive Director was brought on board to lead the program. Currently, there are four programs in the grant approval process and four operating programs. Our programs in operation include the DCFS emergency childcare placement program, A Partnership with a Community Based Early Childhood Network to improve instructional quality and increase quality programs, Free Parent Education Courses using the Conscious Discipline curriculum, and a Scholarship program for parents of Birth to age four children within 1-2 semesters of college or career program graduation/completion.

Why We Matter

Quality early childhood programming should be a right for all children regardless of socio-economic status. At LAFORCE, we will continue striving to make this a reality as its impact has positive implications for children, families, and the entire community. Funding for early childhood programs is inconsistent at best, but our goal is to change that through strategic partnerships and planning, grant writing, fundraising, and local and national advocacy.