In October of 2018, Mayor Sharon Weston Broome announced that Healthy BR is the recipient of nearly $2 million in grant funds from the Humana Foundation and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation for the Geaux Get Healthy program.
Geaux Get Healthy will work in three Baton Rouge-area ZIP codes with the highest rates of food insecurity and health disparities (70805, 70807, and 70802). With a coalition of local partners, this program will make fresh food available at an affordable price and provide educational programs to increase consumption of fresh food, including:
- Discounted fresh food through Top Box NOLA, which residents can order through local churches, corner stores, and other convenient locations
- A mobile market that will bring fresh food into neighborhoods, managed by Grow Baton Rouge
- A community-led outdoor event space that will promote and support Geaux Get Healthy programs, created by MetroMorphosis
- An urban youth farm that will grow food, teach food sustainability, and develop leadership skills, run by The Walls Project
- A fresh food initiative to bring a grocery store to food desert areas, created by HOPE Credit Union
“I made a commitment to invest in disinvested communities, and with today’s announcement, we are doing just that,” said Mayor Broome. “By working alongside the community, we will address the social determinants of health that affect the lives of all residents. This program will address food insecurity and social isolation, which brings us one step closer to becoming a community of peace, prosperity, and progress. I want to thank both the Humana Foundation and the Blue Cross Foundation for coming together to support our community.”
How can Baton Rouge community members be more involved?
- Sign up online at HealthyBR.com/geauxgethealthy, at the mobile grocery store, Baton Rouge farm, or at any Geaux Get Healthy event.
- Join a Geaux Get Healthy Community Conversation to be a part of building a healthier community.
- Check the event calendar for fun monthly events, cooking classes and other ways to get involved.
- Volunteer to help spread the word about Geaux Get Healthy, work at Baton Rouge Roots Farm, or volunteer to help at events.
