Our Story
J. Stokes began his community service dedication with the creation of a local neighborhood association In the year 2000. The neighborhood work began with J. Stokes and another community member. Together they served as president and vice president of the neighborhood improvement effort. The overall effort for the association was to enhance neighborhood safety, promote collaboration among neighbors, and to heighten the relationship between the community and the first responders serving the community.
The neighborhood association became a productive force, in which all efforts were accomplished. After experiencing the success of people coming together for a greater good, the association branched out to do even more. The vice president brought forth the idea of beginning a community festival. J. Stokes embraced this idea and worked to bring the suggestion of the vice president into fruition by meeting with other local community association presidents to promote the idea. J. Stokes successfully convinced other community presidents/members to work toward a unified effort. This community force blossomed and expanded into, what is now, the annual Gentilly Festival, held each year in October.
Strongly believing in the benefit of community service and volunteerism, J. Stokes wanted to promote that concept among others. To do so, he brought the idea of beginning a volunteer effort among college students in the Greater New Orleans area. The Gentilly Fest Board Members accepted the idea with open arms and instructed J. Stokes to go for it. After recruiting community assistance for moving forward, he did.
J. Stokes and his committee began outlining criteria for the first ever Gentilly Festival college volunteerism award in 2023. College students who volunteered sixteen hours during the three-day festival would be eligible for a $500.00 award, which could be used to purchase books, school clothing, transportation, or any other school related or personal expense. Students who volunteer for the required sixteen hours would be placed in a drawing for their particular university. Each participating university would have an award recipient. Furthermore, the award was not associated with the student’s GPA or classification. It was simply based on their festival volunteered time. The mission was simply for students to experience how empowering it could be when a community works together for a unified purpose and greater good.
The 2023 effort for this endeavor was a great success. More volunteers than ever before worked at the 2023 Gentilly Festival. College students who participated in this effort expressed a spirit of appreciation and enjoyment and many indicated they would return if presented with the opportunity to do so.
Please click on our student testimonials link for quotes from students describing their experiences.
In a meeting of the Gentilly Festival Board, for the planning of the 2024 Gentilly Festival, the board named the college award effort, to promote volunteerism, the J. Stokes Gentilly Festival Community Service Youth Award.
Our Future Goal…
Hope for the future, relative to this effort, includes:
Increasing the award amount
Increasing the number of awards
Raising enough funds to offer full scholarships
Enhancing student experiences for volunteerism
Increase opportunities for students to volunteer in their communities
To help us continue this wonderful endeavor, please consider donating to our cause. Any amount will be greatly appreciated. Please write YOUTH AWARD in the memo section of your check.