BATON ROUGE — A Baton Rouge woman inspired by a Los Angeles non-profit food program is working to start one in the capital area.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Natalie Flores-Blackner founded Nourish LA and connected thousands of families to food that would have gone to waste in Los Angeles. Flores-Blackner said she saw the need to start the program after seeing families face hunger. It grew rapidly, eventually catching the eye of Jasmine Jones in Baton Rouge.

“I found Natalie’s Nourish LA video on YouTube at like 11 o’clock at night. I’m in my bed, I start yelling at my husband. I’m like ‘This is what the Lord has been showing us. This is what Baton Rouge, Louisiana needs to do,'” Jones said.

She immediately reached out to Flores-Blackner, and that’s when the two began a mentorship. After months of online connection and phone calls, the two finally met face-to-face on The Kelly Clarkson Show.

“It was surreal for many different reasons also because the infinite potential that lies in these relationships with each other just solidifies my faith in God and in humanity as well,” Flores-Blackner said.

Jones said she needed to bring the Nourish LA program to Baton Rouge after seeing statistics showing Louisiana ranking high in food insecurity, especially among children and seniors.

The two said to bring this vision to reality, they need all hands on deck from the community.

“If you are a restaurant, a bakery, a small business owner, or a grocery store give us everything – anything! I don’t think people understand how severe it is,” Jones said.

They are accepting all resources to help house food to get the program off the ground and running in the Capital Region. If you would like to help contribute and volunteer with the program, email Jones at jasmine@nourish.la.