Heather Houin Mebane passed away after a courageous battle with gastric cancer, fighting valiantly until the very end.

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In her honor, our family established the Heather Mebane Speech Foundation, dedicated to advancing the field of Speech-Language Pathology—a field Heather was deeply passionate about. Throughout her career, she devoted her life to helping individuals with communication disorders, and this foundation strives to carry on her legacy by providing educational grants to aspiring professionals.

 

The Heather Mebane Speech Foundation proudly supports the Speech and Hearing Department in the Jefferson Parish Public School (JPPS) system, where Heather served with compassion and dedication. JPPS is one of Louisiana’s largest school districts, with over 50,000 students enrolled across 82 public schools. Speech therapists in the district also extend their services to private and parochial schools, ensuring their expertise reaches a diverse range of students. Nearly 50% of JPPS students come from economically disadvantaged households, highlighting the critical role of the district’s Speech and Hearing Department, which serves nearly 4,000 children with communication challenges each year.

 

Our mission is to empower JPPS speech therapists by providing financial support for their professional development through grants for educational conferences and training opportunities. By enhancing their skills, we aim to ensure that these professionals can continue making a profound impact on the lives of individuals with communication challenges—just as Heather did throughout her career.

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Thank you for supporting this meaningful cause and helping us carry forward Heather’s passion for empowering others.

Review the grant guidelines and learn how you can contribute to this important mission.