“We’ve Arrived at 55!” Indeed — we have!
Since being incorporated, SMILE Community Action Agency has served as the primary provider of social services in the tri-parish region of Iberia, St. Martin and Lafayette.
We are proud of our legacy of helping people and changing lives.
Officially, we are the St. Martin, Iberia, Lafayette Community Action Agency, but we are fondly referred to as SMILE, an acronym that encompasses our three service areas.
Down through the decades, one thing has always been certain: We are committed to the community!
At 7 p.m. on March 31 at the Cade Community Center, SMILE will celebrate more than half a century of making a difference. SMILE Chief Executive Officer Craig A. Mathews will present our annual report, and share data on our programs, activities and funding.
But our celebration is not just that night. It is every moment that we make a difference in the lives of the people we serve.
Our celebration dates back to 1968 when we were chartered as a 501 (c)(3) private, non-profit organization. Our agency was created to fight poverty as part of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s declared “War on Poverty.”
Unfortunately, that war continues to this day — not only due to the economic fallout of the pandemic, but also to the steady and growing gap between those who have and those who do not.
We are proud of our ability to meet the needs of those hurting, whether we help them directly through one of our programs, or refer them to one of our community partners. Either way, it gives us joy to serve as a beacon of light for thousands and thousands of individuals through the decades who are confronting a family crisis.
For those hurting, it does not matter whether they have been laid off, living on a fixed income, or need tuition assistance so that they can reboot their career. All that matters is that they are in need.
Whatever their case may be, we are ready to uphold the community action motto: “Helping People, Changing Lives.”
Our services include utility assistance, transportation, job readiness skills and support, tuition assistance, emergency assistance, rent and mortgage assistance, senior volunteers, food distribution, financial literacy, credit repair, youth initiatives, housing counseling and First-Time Homebuyers Education.
We also partner with United Way of Acadiana to provide VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) services during tax season.
In addition to our tri-parish service area, SMILE has the state contract to provide utility assistance, through its LIHEAP (Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program) services, in Acadia and Jefferson Davis Parishes.
Accountability has always been the key to our service longevity, and that is what SMILE’s experience and capacity are based upon. We dot our I’s and cross our T’s when it comes to our contracting responsibilities for federal, state, local and other funding programs.
We are also proud of our vast network of partners, including non-profits, businesses, governments, school districts, agencies, faith-based groups and civic organizations. Our network shows how important it is to have community partners so that we can leverage resources and reach even more individuals and families through referrals.
Reaching those in need means being conveniently located in the community we serve. The parish address to SMILE’s Iberia Community Action Center is 722 Walton Street in New Iberia. The office serves as an area hub by keeping a pulse on the needs and concerns of the community.
Our close proximity to our families does not stop us from going a step further, and providing outreach services at housing complexes so that our senior citizens are better served.
SMILE is governed by an 18-member volunteer Board of Directors, which represents the public, private and low income sectors of the community. As CEO, Mr. Mathews is experienced in both non-profit and for-profit management, and brings a wealth of knowledge and leadership to our mission.
We look forward to another 55 years!