MONROE – The Louisiana Baptist Children’s Home has dedicated its first cottage in more than 40 years.
Children’s Home staff, trustees and others gathered on April 22 for a ribbon cutting at a cottage designed to provide transitional living for women and their children as they prepare for independent living.
The HomePlace Cottages at Martin Village provide a place for homeless women and their children to stay for up to one year at no cost to the residents. While there, the women receive a high school equivalency degree, life and employment skills training through the Christian Women Job Corps.
Two additional cottages are planned for the near future from proceeds generated by the 12th Annual Roy O. Martin/Brenda Hall Abney Golf Classic.
The tournament was created by Roy O. Martin, chairman, and CEO Jonathan E. Martin and his wife, Maggie, in memory of Abney, who passed away in 2005 from a rare form of breast cancer.
Abney grew up at the Louisiana Baptist Children’s Home in Monroe and attended Louisiana College, where she was figuratively adopted by the Martins in 1983.
Over the years, more than $1.7 million has been raised from the golf tournament to support the LBCH.