Fuel Their Flight

A place to grow. Room to become.

Launch Therapy is raising $4.5 million to build a permanent campus on Veterans Boulevard in Livingston—a place where children with disabilities can find the care, encouragement and room they need to grow, for years to come.

In just two years, our community has given more than $3 million toward building our new location. That generosity has brought us close enough to begin construction next year, with confidence that others will help us finish what we have begun.

The children are our superheroes. They bring their courage every day. Your gift can help build the place that meets it.

Be a superhero. Donate to the capital campaign.

For gifts of [amount] or more, please contact Abigail Prescott at (225) 405-0225 or abigail@launchpeds.com.

Donate to our Capital Campaign

New Mission Control

Ten years in, Launch has outgrown four locations. We are designing a therapy center that will become a model for the state, with plenty of room to grow along with Livingston Parish.

Our New Campus

Size: 13,000 square feet on 3 acres
Location: Veterans Boulevard

Opening: 2028
Capital Campaign: $4.5 million
Amount raised: $3.2 million

Architects:
Contractor

“Launch said ‘he’s done the fighting and he needs people to come in and fight with him.’”

— Nita Flores

Read Cooper's Story

Meet the Spark

Chantelle Varnado

Chantelle Varnado and daughter, Addison Varnado

Dr. Chantelle Varnado is single-minded and persistent. Attending elementary school in Denham Springs, she decided to become a speech therapist. “It was the first thing I wanted to do, and I never deviated from it.”

After earning a doctorate from LSU, she began thinking about what’s next. One fitful night, Chantelle began to pray, hoping divine guidance would illuminate the path ahead. When the sun rose the next morning, she knew her mission: to start a nonprofit for children with disabilities. Before her husband fixed his first cup of coffee, Chantelle had named the nonprofit Launch Therapy and chosen a logo: a rocket ship.

Less than a decade later, Launch serves more than 400 children with disabilities, and has a waitlist of more than 300. With her staff, family and friends on the ride, Varnado will build a new center on Veterans Boulevard to grow with the needs of Livingston Parish children who deserve a chance to surpass their perceived limitations.

Read Chantelle’s story

Five Reasons to Help Our Kids Soar

5. Growing Need: Launch will double our space to 13,000 square feet, allowing us to serve hundreds of more children each year.

4. Local Access: The center will eliminate barriers of distance and transportation for more families, ensuring that every child will receive the therapy they need and deserve

3. Early Intervention: By diagnosing and starting therapy as early as possible, Launch therapists stimulate the birth of neural pathways, setting the foundation for a lifetime of learning and progress.

2. Minding the Gaps: Through diligent fundraising and advocacy, we overcome treatment limits too often imposed by private insurance and Medicaid.

1. Holistic Support: Our staff navigates complex Medicaid and other federal systems, drawing down additional financial assistance for necessary services.