A Lasting Promise: The Fred and Dina Nodier House

Geri Landry, one of the original visionaries of Autism Services of SWLA (ASSL), is thrilled to share the purchase of their seventh home to serve as a residence for adults with autism. This new home will be named in honor of Geri’s sister and brother-in-law, Dena and Fred Nodier, longtime advocates and supporters of the organization. 

“In the beginning, we just wanted to make it happen—have at least one or two homes,” shared an enthusiastic and grateful 94-year-old Geri Landry. “And now, with a group effort, we are adding the seventh. I pray to St. Rita every day, the saint of impossible cases, because we thought our goal might be one. The prayers are working!” 

In the early days of the Community Foundation of Southwest Louisiana, ASSL board members, including Graham Portus, CPA, Geri, and others, made a strategic decision to invest the organization’s reserve dollars into an Organization Fund with the Foundation. The goal was to ensure future board members would have the financial resources necessary to continue maintaining homes and supporting high-quality care for their residents. 

After a successful fundraising concert that raised over $200,000, the Board went one step further, creating an Endowment Fund with the Community Foundation to secure ASSL’s mission for generations to come. Today, both funds continue to grow through investment, with a portion of the growth available annually for ASSL’s use when needed. 

This year, that long-term planning and investment paid off. The organization chose to use some of the growth from those funds to help purchase its newest home, the Fred and Dena Nodier House. 

“Parents are trusting us to take care of their loved ones for the rest of their lives,” added Geri.  “We must have the resources to maintain these homes and provide consistent, compassionate care. Thanks to the tremendous support of our community and our wise decision to invest with the Community Foundation, we are proud to say we can.”