ERIK SANZENBACH / L’Observateur / January 28, 2000

LAPLACE -River Parish families are going to get a little extra help starting next month, thanks to the St. John the Baptist Parish Council and ParishPresident Nickie Monica.

Kingsley House, the New Orleans-based social service agency, will open a satellite office at 301 W. Airline Highway offering families in the RiverParishes services in family counseling, drug abuse rehabilitation, domestic abuse, child care and juvenile protection.

Kingsley House has been sending therapists to the River Parishes to tend to troubled families for the past nine years, but now they will have a permanent location in LaPlace.

At Tuesday night’s Parish Council meeting Monica, who has backed this project since he was a council member, asked the council to help the Kingsley House by paying part of the $500 rent the agency will pay for its new offices. The council agreed to pay $200 a month and the owner of thebuilding, Daniel Becnel Jr., will forfeit the other $300 as a donation to theproject.

Monica introduced Adrian Todd, Kingsley House program manager, to the council, and Todd thanked the council for its help.

“We are happy to be helping families in the St. John Parish area,” Todd said.”And we wish to thank Mr. Monica who has been very supportive.”Kingsley House was established over 100 years ago in New Orleans as a support agency to help immigrants adjust to life in the United States. Sincethat time Kingsley House has expanded its services to include family counseling, day-care centers, summer camps and after-school care.

In other council business, the finance committee urged the council to give a 47 percent raise to parish justices of the peace and constables. The councilvoted for the raise.

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