The H & B Young Foundation in Morgan City gained national distinction by being honored with the Council for Resource Development’s (CRD) Benefactor Award for 2011.

The award is the only national recognition of donors to the nation’s community colleges. Each year, CRD recognizes the outstanding contributions of 10 donors from across the country that made significant contributions to community colleges. The H & B Young Foundation was recognized for its long-standing commitment and generosity to the South Central Louisiana Technical College, Young Memorial Campus in Morgan City.

“We were thrilled and elated to be selected as a recipient of the 2011 CRD Benefactor’s Award,” H & B Young Foundation Executive Director Brenda Ayo said. “We hope our efforts will continue to transform lives, strengthen the community and create an internationally recognized marine and safety training program for our students.”

Ayo and Trustees Gwendolyn E. Ross, Phyllis B. Garber and Emile A. Wagner III traveled to Washington, D.C., along with South Central Louisiana Technical College, Young Memorial Campus Regional Director Gregory L. Garrett; Dr. Joe D. May, president of Louisiana Community and Technical College System (LCTCS); and Leah Goss, executive director of Louisiana Community and Technical College System Foundation to receive the award during a gala ceremony held Nov. 11.

Since 1955, the H & B Young Foundation has supported many charitable causes in Morgan City. Named for Hugh and Byrnes Young, two brothers, landowners and entrepreneurs who spent their lives in the Morgan City area, the foundation donated 3.5 acres of land to be used for a vocational and technical school in 1965. Today, the school is known as the Young Memorial Campus of South Central Louisiana Technical College (SCLTC).

Over the years, the foundation has donated over $2.5 million to the college for student scholarships, equipment and infrastructure improvements, including an Olympic-size pool that is a shared-use facility with local swimming teams. The foundation’s largest investment has been in the college’s marine and safety training programs which are internationally renowned.

In fact, the Survival Craft Proficiency program provided at SCTLC trained 25 of the workers who were on the ill-fated Deepwater Horizon that blew up and sank last year in the Gulf of Mexico. Due to their training at the college, all 25 of workers survived and several returned to thank their instructors.

The foundation also has donated the land that will provide the location for a $5.98 million, 23,000 square-foot addition that will provide classrooms and lab space. The new campus development is a part of the Act 391 facilities project, which was passed during the 2007 legislative session and includes 23 projects for 14 community and technical colleges throughout the state and a total bond package of $173.7 million.

SCLTC received the highest rankings of an LCTCS college, placing second in the nation, as an overall producer of one-year certificates.

May praised the H & B Young Foundation for their outstanding support of the Young Memorial Campus and the Morgan City community.

“I wish heartfelt congratulations to the H & B Young Memorial Foundation on receiving such a prestigious award for their gracious support and generosity.”

Garrett expressed his appreciation for the generosity of the foundation to the college over the years.

“We wouldn’t be where we are today, providing the programs we do, without the foundation. They have done so much for us.”

An affiliate of the American Association of Community Colleges, CRD serves over 1,600 members at more than 700 institutions and is the essential education and networking choice for community college development professionals in 10 regions and Canada.