State grant helps Morgan City beautify downtown

An $8,400 grant from the state will help Morgan City Downtown pay for Phase I of the Downtown Beautification Project, said Vanessa Spinella, Main Street director.
The grant was awarded last fall by Keep Louisiana Beautiful, the state's premier anti-litter and community improvement organization.
The grants create and execute planting projects focused on improving the appearance of communities throughout Louisiana by creating beautiful, well-maintained public spaces.
Priority planting projects include improving and beautifying entry points to cities, highway corridors and medians, downtown roadways and intersections, and other highly visible and highly used public spaces.
“This grant award represents an active partnership with KLB that will help us uphold our responsibility to do the right thing for the environment and community regarding Morgan City Main Streets Beautification project,” Spinella said.
KLB’s executive director, Susan Russell, said the beautification grant is designed to provide funding for local projects and programs bringing about behavioral changes needed to improve the appearance of communities in Louisiana.
“People are less likely to litter in areas that display community pride and that are well-maintained and beautiful, so reducing litter in highly visible areas is an additional key driver of this grant. KLB seeks projects that have diverse community support, volunteer involvement, collaboration with stakeholders and benefit the community at large.”
Made possible with funding from the state of Louisiana and the Office of the Lieutenant Governor, 11 beautification grants totaling over $72,000 were awarded to eligible organizations including Louisiana parishes and municipalities, Spinella added.
Morgan city Main Street's Downtown Morgan City Beautification Project Phase 1 location includes the flower beds directly to the left and right of the main entrance to the dock at Freret and Front streets.
Keep Louisiana Beautiful is a state program under the Office of the Lieutenant Governor and the Department of Culture, Recreation, and Tourism that promotes a personal, corporate, and community responsibility for a clean and beautiful Louisiana.
KLB supports local communities through programs and resources for litter education prevention, removal, enforcement, beautification, recycling, waste reduction and sustainability initiatives.
KLB is affiliated with the national organization, Keep America Beautiful and is supported by a astatewide network of community affiliates and university affiliates. Learn more at KeepLouisianaBeautiful.org