NEW ORLEANS – Thrive New Orleans operates at the intersection of workforce development and community renewal to make a real difference in people’s lives. Since 2008, Thrive has been delivering job training, life-skills coaching and employment support that significantly increases work opportunities and promotes racial and environmental equity.
“Our focus is really on climate resilient jobs and small business growth and development,” said Chuck Morse, executive director of Thrive New Orleans. “Our four pillars are workforce development, entrepreneurship, community, and environment.”
Green Infrastructure Workforce Development
Through programs like Thrive Works Green, Thrive trains individuals for jobs in green infrastructure, stormwater management, weatherization, solar, heavy equipment-use and related fields.
“Climate resilience is where the jobs are. Someone is going to make money from green, resilient infrastructure, so instead of people coming in from outside the area, why not have locals make that money? Besides, we were green before green was cool,” said Morse, referring to things like the use of household rain barrels.
Participants in Thrive programs earn certifications and receive job placement support while gaining carpentry, installation, masonry, paving, horticulture and arborist skills. They study semi-permeable materials, bioswales, rain gardens and land grading levels — “anything you can do to make sure that when the water falls, it has a place to go into the ground instead of running into the streets,” said Morse. “So, we focus on all the green infrastructure skillsets that are needed.”
Weatherization is another core component of Thrive’s workforce work. “We are an allied partner for organizations that address energy solutions locally and statewide. We are also the city of New Orleans National Disaster Resilience Operator which means we were selected by the city to help grow and train the future workforce in climate resilience space.”
Social Enterprise
Thrive is supported by funders including several philanthropic, corporate, governmental and individual donors.
“Our budget has been impacted by federal grant cuts but our earned revenue model along with the aforementioned funding has helped bridge the gap,” said Morse. “We work to still receive grants from the federal government and have partnerships with anchor institutions, schools, governmental entities and parks.”
The social enterprise program allows Thrive to keep participants engaged longer, which increases their chances of long-term success. “People stay with us on average a year or a year and a half,” said Morse. “We pay them. It’s ‘earn and learn.’ So, they get paid a living wage when they come through the door and we can do that through our funders but also through our social enterprise where, if we bring in earned revenue, then we have more time to create future leaders in the climate resilience sector.”
Support for Small Businesses and Entrepreneurs
Thrive helps build the capacity of small businesses, especially those that are minority-owned, through training, resources and community-based business coaching. “We’ve had over 200 people in our workforce program and around 70 in our entrepreneurship program, and we run four cohorts per year,” said Morse.
He said the structure of the program is designed to move participants through progressively deeper levels of training.
“It’s a comprehensive concept where you’ve got 6 weeks in basic training, another 6-8 weeks in advanced training, and social enterprise where they get on real contracts leading crews and bringing revenue in. It’s all about the people.”
“Thrive Hive” – Affordable Housing
Thrive also works to stabilize families by addressing housing challenges that often prevent people from maintaining employment or advancing in workforce programs.
“The Thrive Hive is where people can live and stay,” said Morse. “Sometimes life hits you and the simplest thing can throw you off track. Housing is part of the challenges people face each and every day. So, Thrive helps remove these challenges so people not only survive, but thrive.”
T9 Community Center
Because stability outside the workplace is essential for long-term success, Thrive also provides community-based support.
The Thrive 9th Ward or “T9” is a Community Development Center that provides youth programs, tutoring, summer camp, sports leagues, free Wi-Fi/computer lab access, a re-entry legal clinic and community events.
Through education, social supports, employment, housing and community services, Thrive operates a holistic model of community uplift rather than one-off aid.
“It’s a journey and we’re glad to be on it,” said Morse. “To see the lives that have been impacted, changed and supported, and we build them into ambassadors and into people who are ready to do this work.”
Morse previously worked in tourism in Washington, D.C. and Louisiana, and is also the pastor at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church.
