The agency’s new name, Clover, was selected after 18 months of collaboration between the organization’s leadership team and its stakeholders.
Kingsley House board members and staff were conducting research in the fall of 2020 ahead of the organization’s 125th anniversary when they stumbled upon a disturbing fact. After learning that Board leadership proactively decided to retire the name Kingsley House in the fall of 2020 upon learning that the organization’s namesake,
The organization’s namesake, Charles Kingsley, a British priest, historian, and author, held racist viewpoints. After uncovering uncovering some of Kingsley’s racist writings and sermons, ideals that are inconsistent with the core values of the organization, board leaders decided a name change was in order.
On Sept. 27, Kingsley House’s program participants, staff, board, senior leadership, elected officials, and community leaders gathered to celebrate as the organization revealed its new name at an event held at the organization’s historic campus in the Lower Garden District.
“We are proud of the organization’s accomplishments throughout the years, and want to ensure that our legacy and new agency name mirror the backgrounds of the people we serve,” said Kingsley House CEO Keith Liederman, Ph.D. “We believe our renaming decision is a testament to our ongoing commitment to advancing systemic change for our children, families, and community.”
The agency’s new name , Clover, was selected after 18 months of collaboration between the organization’s leadership team and its stakeholders.
The new name symbolizes renewal, hope, and prosperity. It invokes luck, peace, fortune, and power. It is evocative of positive thoughts and is approachable. One of its meanings is luxury or comfort. And these are just some of the desires we have for our participants – prosperity, peace, and power.
“The three petals of a clover represent our children, families, and community,” said Chimene Grant Saloy, President of Clover’s Board of Directors. “Just like a clover is determined to grow in unfavorable conditions and thrives in most circumstances, despite the obstacles, we believe our community embodies that same strength and resiliency.”
The new name also reflects the organization’s powerful, emotional, and impactful work and historic roots in the Irish Channel, where the agency was established in 1896.
Clover, formerly Kingsley House, has long been recognized as an innovative nonprofit. Among its many trailblazing accomplishments, the organization was the first settlement house in the south; the first home of the Tulane University School of Social Work; the first summer camp and playground in New Orleans for children and youth; one of the first publicly integrated pools in the city; one of the first Head Start programs in the nation; and one of the first Adult Day Care programs in the state. Clover also operates a workforce development program. The organization is also a community and supportive service resource to Columbia Parc, Faubourg Lafitte, and Sacred Heart at St. Bernard neighborhood communities.
“Our organization will continue collaborating with families and support them in their journeys to achieve social and economic success. Under Clover, we will broaden our scope with pivotal diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives and continue our multigenerational, forward-focused commitment to shared power and voice, collaboration, and innovation,” added Liederman.
For more information about the name change and the nonprofit’s work, please visit www.KingsleyHouse.org. A new website domain name for the agency will launch in mid-October.
