Civic grants were awarded for the 2013 Dragon Boat Festival. The winners are:

• Volunteers for Youth Justice: $2,000 – Supports the Court Appointed Special Advocates, an advocate program for children.

• Martin Luther King Health Center: $2,900 - Supports the Lifestyle Change and Wellness Program to reduce the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. The program teaches individuals wellness, nutrition and physical activity to reduce the risk of diabetes.

• The Fuller Center for Housing: $5,000 – Used to provide decent homes for low-income families living in poverty. This effort will assist to restore neighborhoods and strengthen communities.

• Shreve Island Elementary School: $5,000 – Supports the “The Leader in Me” leadership building program. Students are taught leadership skills in academics, sports and social settings.

• Caddo Career & Technology Center Foundation: $1,500 – Provides scholarships to students who pursue higher education through technical/ community schools.

• Northwest Louisiana Food Bank: $4,550 – Purchase air curtain and motor control panel to ensure proper storage and safety of food.

Speaker honorariums of $300 each were presented to these organizations: Shreveport Opera Xpress, Love in Action Ministry, LSU Health Science Shreveport Foundation, Caddo- Bossier Cancer Foundation League, The Center for Families and Northwest Louisiana Interfaith Pharmacy.