Warm Hands-Warm Hearts (WH-WH), founded by Darlene Francois Riley, is a non-profit mentoring organization currently serving youth ages 13-18 at Lutcher High School.

Our mission is to REACH, TEACH & EMPOWER youth to maximize their potential and enhance their quality of life.

Each year the Lord continues to shower His blessing upon our organization by sending mentors who are committed to making a difference in the lives of children in St. James Parish.

Warm Hands-Warm Hearts was birthed at the kitchen table of my home.

Since the inception we have grown by leaps and bounds. God has also provided us with the resources we need to serve children throughout the River Parishes via our back-to-school supply and uniform drive.

Our annual Praise Extravaganza is one way to express our gratitude to the Lord for the many blessings that He has bestowed upon WH-WH. It also provides an opportunity for our community supporters to make donations to our organization.

I am reminded of the story recorded in the Gospel of Luke where Jesus cleansed ten lepers, but only one returned to the Lord to say thank you.

WH-WH will always be like the one who returned to give thanks unto the Lord for everything that He has done for us!

This year we were tremendously blessed to have Mrs. Sally-Ann Roberts as our guest speaker. Sally-Ann Roberts co-anchors WWL-TV Channel 4 Eyewitness Morning News, the highest rated morning news program in Louisiana. Over the years, she has received countless awards and honors, one of which was The Louisiana Association of Broadcasters Lifetime Achievement Award. She is the author of Your Power is On: A Little Book of Hope.

Sally-Ann gives thanks to God for being a perfect match bone marrow donor for her sister Robin Roberts, anchor for “Good Morning America.”

Her message regarding the generational impact that a mentor can have on a child’s life was an inspiration to my heart, as well as our mentors, and invited guests.

In the coming months we look forward to enhancing and expanding our mission. On behalf of Warm Hands-Warm Hearts we extend a special thanks to the 2014 Praise Extravaganza program participants who used their gifts and talents to lift up the name of Jesus.

I Corinthians 12:12: For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ.

We would also like to thank Zen-Noh Grain Corporation and the many community supporters who attended the event. Thank you for believing in the vision that God has entrusted to us.

Darlene F. Riley, Founder