About Us

The CIS Gulf South Story

CIS Gulf South, was originally established in 1996 as CIS of Greater New Orleans. CIS Gulf South is an affiliate of Communities In Schools, a national non-profit founded by Bill Milliken in New York City over 40 years ago. Bill came up with the idea of bringing community resources inside public schools where they are accessible, coordinated and accountable. “It’s relationships, not programs, that change children,” Bill once said. “A great program simply creates the environment for healthy relationships to form between adults and children. Young people thrive when adults care about them on a one-to-one level, and when they also have a sense of belonging to a caring community.”

Following in the footsteps of Bill Milliken, a group of committed local volunteers including Margaret Wall, Claire Stahel, and the late Frances “Frankie” Wittenberg brought the national Communities In Schools model to New Orleans. Since 1996 CIS Gulf South has grown from serving students at one school to serving over 6,500 students across Orleans and Jefferson Parishes.

In the spring of 2018, CIS of Greater New Orleans changed its name to CIS Gulf South to reflect the growing needs of the broader community and to serve more students in our growing region. CIS Gulf South is continuing to expand and serve more students and families in the Greater New Orleans Area, but will additionally begin serving students and families in Capital Area, Central Louisiana, and Acadiana in the future.