Baton Rouge, La. – May 22, 2020 – Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome announced a partnership with Dollar General to expand affordable and nutritious foods through the addition of fresh fruits and vegetables at two Baton Rouge locations. Stores at 6315 Scenic Highway and 5455 Airline Highway in Baton Rouge recently added fresh produce in mid-April 2020.

"We are thrilled that Dollar General has partnered with my office to increase the product offerings of their stores on Scenic and Airline Highway to sell fresh produce,” said Mayor Broome. “This public-private partnership is part of my administration’s goal to address nutritional food access issues in our community. We look forward to continuing to work with Dollar General."

This partnership is in conjunction with the Food Insecurity and its Sequelae on Health (F.I.S.H.) Program implemented by Mayor Broome and Our Lady of the Lake North, which is open to community members and clinic patients. The program features a five-part cooking series where participants and their families will learn how to cook heart-healthy meals that are nutritious and affordable.

“Today’s announcement on additional produce options in Baton Rouge represents two years of constructive conversations with Mayor-President Broome, her entire staff, and the Geaux Get Healthy Initiative. It also demonstrates the possibilities when cities and companies work together to find solutions for their communities,” said Jason Reiser, Dollar General’s executive vice president and chief merchandising officer. “This year, Dollar General plans to add our produce assortment to approximately 400 stores across the country, and we’re excited to have two of these locations in Baton Rouge. We appreciate the collaborative spirit from Mayor-President Broome and Baton Rouge, and we look forward to continuing our longstanding, positive relationship with the city.”

The cooking series, “Simple Cooking with Heart,” will be put on by the American Heart Association; food for the program will be supplied by Dollar General.

The F.I.S.H. Program will offer the participants the opportunity to attend a monthly class with a licensed nutritionist and a fresh food tour with a licensed nutritionist in Dollar General locations.

The produce set at Dollar General offers an assortment of fresh fruit and vegetables, including lettuce, tomatoes, onions, apples, strawberries, potatoes, sweet potatoes, lemons, limes, salad mixes and more. Dollar General’s produce offering provides the top 20 items typically sold in traditional grocery stores and covers approximately 80% of the overall categories grocers carry. The store will also continue to carry components of a healthy diet including dairy products, bread, eggs, proteins, grains, and frozen fruits and vegetables.