BATON ROUGE - The new YWCA Women's Empowerment Center opened in Baton Rouge on Thursday. 

The two-story center is located in front of the Mid City Gardens apartment complex on North Boulevard and will offer a wide variety of free services. 

Women will find financial literacy and education resources, social services, legal services, safety programs, art therapy, nutrition education, counseling and more. The center includes activity and meeting spaces, a computer center, a fitness studio, an outdoor garden and showers. 

The center will be staffed by 10 to 12 employees during business hours and also have additional programs on weekends and evenings.