Baton Rouge, La. – September 21, 2020 – Geaux Get Healthy, a program of HealthyBR, is issuing a request for proposals to address food insecurity for the program’s third year of operation. The program is seeking up to 20 organizations focused on education, production, and distribution of fresh and nutritious food in food deserts located throughout East Baton Rouge Parish.

Geaux Get Healthy is a coalition of organizations addressing food access, led by the Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome’s Healthy City Initiative, also known as HealthyBR. Grant funds are intended to support eligible nonprofits, faith-based organizations, and businesses to develop or expand programs that improve food access in food deserts throughout our community.

Applicants will be able to apply for two levels of funding. The first level of funding will allocate awards up to $100,000. The second level of funding will award up to $50,000. Proposals will be reviewed and selected by a community-based committee. Interested organizations should submit applications by 5:00 p.m. Friday, October 9, 2020.

In the first two years of the program, Geaux Get Healthy has engaged more than 4,000 residents and screened more than 2,000 community members for food insecurity. Our partners have grown over 3,500 pounds of produce and distributed over 27,000 pounds of fresh food. Affiliated organization have supported and partnered with seven corner stores to sell fresh fruits and vegetables.

“Since 2019, my Mayor’s Healthy City Initiative’s Geaux Get Healthy program has worked with nonprofits and small businesses to address food access and wellness within East Baton Rouge Parish,” said Mayor Broome. “In our first two years, Geaux Get Healthy has done tremendous work in our community — in year three I am looking forward to continuing this work and engaging more community partners in our effort to address this pressing need in our community.”

For more information on criteria and the application process, visit: healthybr.com/geauxgethealthy.