Boys Town Louisiana opens new office for community programming

Written By Alicia Vial

NEW ORLEANS – Boys Town Louisiana is thrilled to announce the grand opening of a new office dedicated to community based programming at 10001 Lake Forest Blvd. in New Orleans.

The new office, strategically located in New Orleans East, will serve as a hub for the My Community Cares (MCC) program, which focuses on providing essential support and resources to families facing challenges. The new location/program will offer a range of public family support services including counseling, parenting classes, workshops, access to resources and tools designed to strengthen families.

“Boys Town Louisiana has been active in the Greater New Orleans regions since 1989 and we are dedicated to building a brighter future for children and families in our region,” said Boys Town Louisiana Executive Director, Rashain Carriere. “Our newest program (My Community Cares) aims to safeguard the well-being of children and families in our community in three high need ZIP codes – 70114, 70117, 70127 – and with this central location we are ideally placed to serve those areas.”

The location will also house Boys Town Louisiana’s Early Head Start and Care Coordination Services. 

“We are excited to welcome Boys Town Louisiana’s new office to District E,” said Councilmember Oliver M. Thomas, Jr. “The launch of the My Community Cares program is a testament to their unwavering commitment to strengthen families in our community. This program aligns with our city’s values, emphasizing collaboration and providing essential resources to families in need. Opening this location in District E at this time, gave me the capability to allocate funding to them through the 2023 Recreation and Culture Fund Grant Program’s Phase II. I look forward to allocating additional funds to assist with their program needs.”

Boys Town Louisiana recognizes the importance of collaboration in creating change. The MCC program launch is also supported by the Department of Children and Family Services.

Boys Town Louisiana has touched the lives of nearly 8,000 children and families in Louisiana. Boys Town provides a wide range of services, each dependent on the individual needs of the child and their family. To learn more about their services or how you can support them, visit their website here.

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About Boys Town Louisiana
Boys Town Louisiana opened in 1989, and today meets the needs of youth and families through a variety of Continuum of Care® services. The site offers Diagnostic and Assessment Services to provide immediate help to youth in dangerous situations. The site has three Family Homes for Adolescents in New Orleans and provides In-Home Family Services SM to troubled families. These services and programs touch the lives of 7,600 children and families in Louisiana each year.

Alicia Vial

Alicia Vial is a New Orleans native with more than a decade of experience elevating client stories and leading crisis response. As the senior director of strategy, Alicia acts as a leader within the Gambel Communications team ensuring each agency team member is positioned to deliver strategic public relations services that meet the highest standards of the industry. In addition to supporting the agency’s long-term business growth and development, she coordinates day-to-day account services and oversees strategic direction while staying abreast of best practices and industry trends to provide innovative solutions to meet client’s needs.

Before joining Gambel Communications, Alicia served as the communications director for the Louisiana SPCA, the oldest and largest animal welfare organization in Louisiana that impacts more than 74,000 animals per year. During her nearly eight-year tenure, Alicia oversaw numerous crises, served on national communication taskforces, oversaw all aspects of internal and external relations and worked alongside the development department to raise critical funding. Prior to that, she worked in the fast-paced New Orleans hospitality industry focusing on digital public relations for multiple hotels.

Alicia is a member of the Public Relations Association of Louisiana (PRAL), Southern Public Relations Federation (SPRF), a board member of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) New Orleans Chapter and a member of the New Orleans Regional Leadership Institute. An accredited public relations practitioner (APR), Alicia is also certified in crisis communications, organizational leadership, content marketing and social media.

A well respected and trusted public relations practitioner, Alicia has been recognized by SPRF as a ‘Senior Practitioner of the Year’. Dubbed early on in her career as one to watch, she also received the ‘Rising Star’ award by PRAL and was profiled in St. Charles Avenue Magazine as part of their Young Bloods series. Most recently, she was recognized at PRSA’s annual Fleurish Awards and received four Awards of Excellence for her work along with the ‘Plate Spinner’ award for her efforts on the board of directors for the chapter.

An LSU graduate, Alicia received a bachelor's degree in mass communications with a concentration in public relations and minors in business administration and leadership development. She is a frequent speaker and presenter on public relations topics, most recently presenting at the Jefferson Economic Development Commission and SPRF annual conference.

When Alicia is not at work, you can find her at the ballpark with her three boys or cheering on the Tigers in Death Valley.

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