Operation Restoration Selected for Target Circle Giving Program

Written By Alicia Vial

Shoppers earn votes to benefit New Orleans nonprofit

NEW ORLEANS — Operation Restoration (OR) is one of four area nonprofits chosen for the Target Circle Community Giving Program, making the New Orleans-based organization eligible for a grant based on votes by members enrolled in Target’s loyalty program. The charitable giving program, sponsored and funded by Target, continues from July through September 30.

Nonprofit partners are selected based on various criteria including the organization’s mission, programming, pressing issues in the community, and serving in-need or underserved populations.

Founded in 2016 by Syrita Steib, OR is one of New Orleans’ leading nonprofits and a national leader in the carceral justice movement advocating for formerly incarcerated people, specifically for legal system-impacted women and girls. The organization offers 15 distinct programs and services that provide education opportunities, transitional housing, advocacy, clothing, social services and direct assistance to clients.

Through Target Circle, members can earn and cast votes to help direct the corporation’s charitable giving. New Orleans area members can go into their Target account settings to designate a nonprofit. They earn one vote each time they shop in store or online at Target. Anyone not currently a member of the program can enroll at target.com/circle, by downloading the app or providing their phone number at checkout.

“We are extremely excited about being chosen as a  Target Circle partner,” says Steib, President & CEO of Operation Restoration. “We appreciate the opportunity to work with Target on this initiative. It is a way for our friends and family to continue to support us by casting their votes and help us receive a portion of Target’s donation to our community.”

Among Operation Restoration’s offerings is the College-In-Prison program, in partnership with Tulane University’s School of Professional Development, that allows women at Louisiana Correctional Institute for Women (LCIW) to earn a bachelor’s degree in social sciences, a successful Lab Assistant Training program and several wrap-around services to facilitate reentry for formerly incarcerated women.

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About Operation Restoration
Operation Restoration (OR) supports women and girls impacted by incarceration to recognize their full potential, restore their lives and discover new possibilities. The New Orleans-based nonprofit organization focuses on advocacy, education, economic mobility and true economic equity for staff, clients and the community. Our goal is to remove financial incentives for incarceration/detention and to increase investments in social services, education, and healthcare for all people.


Alicia Vial

Alicia Vial is a New Orleans native with more than a decade of experience elevating client stories and leading crisis response. As the senior director of strategy, Alicia acts as a leader within the Gambel Communications team ensuring each agency team member is positioned to deliver strategic public relations services that meet the highest standards of the industry. In addition to supporting the agency’s long-term business growth and development, she coordinates day-to-day account services and oversees strategic direction while staying abreast of best practices and industry trends to provide innovative solutions to meet client’s needs.

Before joining Gambel Communications, Alicia served as the communications director for the Louisiana SPCA, the oldest and largest animal welfare organization in Louisiana that impacts more than 74,000 animals per year. During her nearly eight-year tenure, Alicia oversaw numerous crises, served on national communication taskforces, oversaw all aspects of internal and external relations and worked alongside the development department to raise critical funding. Prior to that, she worked in the fast-paced New Orleans hospitality industry focusing on digital public relations for multiple hotels.

Alicia is a member of the Public Relations Association of Louisiana (PRAL), Southern Public Relations Federation (SPRF), a board member of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) New Orleans Chapter and a member of the New Orleans Regional Leadership Institute. An accredited public relations practitioner (APR), Alicia is also certified in crisis communications, organizational leadership, content marketing and social media.

A well respected and trusted public relations practitioner, Alicia has been recognized by SPRF as a ‘Senior Practitioner of the Year’. Dubbed early on in her career as one to watch, she also received the ‘Rising Star’ award by PRAL and was profiled in St. Charles Avenue Magazine as part of their Young Bloods series. Most recently, she was recognized at PRSA’s annual Fleurish Awards and received four Awards of Excellence for her work along with the ‘Plate Spinner’ award for her efforts on the board of directors for the chapter.

An LSU graduate, Alicia received a bachelor's degree in mass communications with a concentration in public relations and minors in business administration and leadership development. She is a frequent speaker and presenter on public relations topics, most recently presenting at the Jefferson Economic Development Commission and SPRF annual conference.

When Alicia is not at work, you can find her at the ballpark with her three boys or cheering on the Tigers in Death Valley.

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