Shreveport Firsts That You Can Be Proud Of

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OK, I know,  it's easy to bash Shreveport.  And yes, there are a LOT of things I don't like about my hometown.  I'm upset about crime, I don't like the liberal direction we've taken politically, but as a native son... I still love Shreveport.  I love the fact that we're different from south Louisiana. I love that you can walk through Brookshire's and say hi to someone and they (usually) don't look at you like you want to steal their dog.  There are good things about our hometown that we can be proud of.

Give for Good Was Started Right Here in Shreveport

Shreveport is home to some pretty cool 'firsts'.  We just wrapped up Give for Good. Give for Good, a 24 Hour Online giving challenge was created by the Community Foundation of North Louisiana.  Just recently over 2.3 million dollars was raised for over 200 local charities.

Did you know that Shreveport is home to the very first Shriner's Hospital for Children?

Shriners currently has 22 hospitals ranging from Florida to Boston... Pennsylvania to Hawaii, but the very first Shriner's Hospital for Children began construction in 1922 right here in Shreveport LA.

Shreveport is also home to the very first St. Jude Dream Home.

The (now) KTBS/St. Jude Dream Home was created by the late, great Dr. Donald Mack.  Dr. Mack opened his practice in Shreveport in 1961, and sent a young leukemia patient to St. Jude, because of treatment limitations in Shreveport at the time.  During his long career, Dr. Mack referred many patients to St. Jude for pioneering cancer treatment. He realized the amazing work St. Jude Hospital was doing, and in 1991 he founded the St. Jude Dream Home Giveaway fundraising campaign, which has raised more than $315 million nationwide. $315 MILLION DOLLARS... because one man made an effort.

So yes, Shreveport has it's issues, but there are things we can be very proud of.