Richard Zuschlag To Receive 2016 Jewell P. Lowe Humanitarian Award From 232-HELP

232-HELP, Inc. is proud to announce that Richard Zuschlag has been selected as this year’s recipient of the Jewell P. Lowe Humanitarian Award. This award recognizes those individuals of substantial humanitarian accomplishment who exhibit a deep compassion for those less fortunate, a desire to improve the lives of the people of Acadiana, and whose life’s work has positively advanced these ideas.

Founded in 1965 by Jewell Lowe, her husband Bob Lowe and other community leaders, Southwest Louisiana Education and Referral Center (SLERC) – now 232-HELP – exists to help people in need return to productive and healthy lives by connecting these
people with community resources and social services that address their needs.

Since 1965, the organization has assisted more than 10 million callers and has had an estimated economic impact of more than $170 million throughout Acadiana. Today, 232-HELP serves approximately 800,000 people in 10 south Louisiana parishes – Avoyelles, Acadia, Evangeline, Iberia, Lafayette, St. Landry, St. Martin, St. Mary, Terrebonne and Vermilion.

When making the announcement of Richard’s selection, Jim Roy, president of the 232-HELP board, had this to say, “As one of its early board members and past presidents of 232-HELP, Richard’s commitment to our organization spans decades. Richard’s leadership has played a significant role in improving the lives of many through 232-HELP, as well as through his efforts with other 501(c)(3) groups such as the American Heart Association (AHA), Miles Perret Cancer Services, American Cancer Society (ACS), Big Brothers & Big Sisters of Acadiana, Lafayette Community Health Care Clinic, Boy Scouts of America (BSA), University of Louisiana at Lafayette (UL Lafayette) Foundation, Louisiana State University (LSU), Ascension Episcopal School (AES), One Acadiana (formerly Greater Lafayette Chamber of Commerce) and Opus Christi Magnum among many others.

Mr. Roy went on to say, “Often it is hard to pick one person out of many to recognize as the recipient of the Jewell P. Lowe Humanitarian Award. However, this year the selection committee decision was an easy one. The Jewell P. Lowe Humanitarian Award was inspired by the life of Jewell P. Lowe who served as the executive director of 232-HELP for its first 42 years — most of it without a paycheck. She was determined to motivate a community to help those in need.