NEW ORLEANS (press release) – Nunez Community College in Chalmette will receive $25,000 in grant funding to create its Pelican Youth Development Program thanks to the Super Bowl LIX Host Committee and Impact 59 Powered by Entergy.
Nunez is one of 65 organizations in the New Orleans area to receive a share of $3.5 million in grant funds through Impact 59. A press release from Entergy described Impact 59’s goal as “creating a meaningful legacy in New Orleans long after the city hosts its record-tying 11th Super Bowl on Feb. 9, 2025.”
The Pelican Youth Development Program will be offered through Nunez’s non-profit Nunez Community College Foundation, headed by Katherine Lemoine, Associate Vice Chancellor for Institutional Advancement. The program was conceived by Nunez Pelican Baseball Head Coach Glenn Powell and Assistant Coach Alex Powell.
“Impact 59 presented a perfect opportunity for us to expand our outreach and service to the community,” said Coach Glenn Powell. “Our baseball players, who are already incredible ambassadors for the college, will serve as camp counselors. And the grant money will be used to purchase equipment that will provide years of safe, fun, healthy activities and mentoring for local kids.”
The Pelican Youth Development Program will be a camp-style program for young people that encourages development through physical wellness activities, mentoring and leadership training, and nutrition education. The Nunez Athletic Department will team up with other college departments such as Culinary Arts in order to provide a holistic health experience.
“The goal of our program is to develop a relationship with the youth of our community that will allow them to grow through sports and physical education,” said Lemoine. “We’ll instill healthy habits in the youth that will spread throughout the community.”
The program will also provide another avenue for Pelican Baseball players to expand their mentorship and community service experience. Nunez student athletes annually participate in community events such as the St. Bernard Parish Special Olympics at Chalmette High School that bring them into direct contact with young students.
“Our guys look forward to the Special Olympics every year. They bring so much positive energy everywhere they go, and the kids absolutely love interacting with our guys,” said Powell. “It’s a highlight every year where everybody wins. And we believe Pelican Youth Development will bring that same dynamic to the Nunez campus.”