Both Mark and Maegan Hanna grew up with parents who encouraged community service and the importance of giving back. In fact, it’s one of the things that brought Mark and Maegan together.
The couple has supported various causes, but they knew that they wanted to make a lasting contribution with long-term impact for the community they love. They prayed together and kept their eyes open for the right cause, the right moment. Then, they found it: Though there were countless programs for elementary- and middle-school children in the Lafayette area, there weren’t any for teenagers—kids who have the potential to make or break their futures in a few short years, no matter what their background.
So the Hannas founded the Clearport Learning Center, a no-cost resource facility to help teens in the Acadiana area succeed throughout high school. The Clearport Learning Center offers educational support, mentoring, college preparation and career-readiness support.
More than 300 young people have enrolled in these programs over the past two years. On any given night, 70-90 students visit the center for tutoring support and a nutritionally balanced meal. The Hannas want every child who comes through the Clearport to know that, no matter where they come from, they have a family through the center—people to count on who want each child to succeed. And that, the Hannas believe, can make all the difference in the world.