The Food Bank of Central Louisiana serves 11 parishes in the geographic center of the state from its Alexandria headquarters. Central Louisiana, covering Rapides, Grant, Natchitoches, Avoyelles, and surrounding parishes, is among the most economically distressed parts of a state that already ranks near the bottom nationally for food security. Jayne Wright-Velez serves as Executive Director. It is a member of the Feeding America network.
The Food Bank of Central Louisiana sources food at scale and distributes it across 11 parishes through partner agencies and its own programs, with a focus on cutting waste by channeling surplus food to people in need. As the only food bank serving this part of the state, the pantries and meal programs of central Louisiana depend on it.
Jayne Wright-Velez serves as Executive Director of the Food Bank of Central Louisiana, leading an organization that operates in one of the poorest regions of one of the poorest states. That context puts a premium on efficiency and on strong partnerships with the parishes, churches, and agencies that distribute the food.
The 11-parish service area covers central Louisiana, anchored by Alexandria and including Rapides, Grant, Natchitoches, and Avoyelles parishes. These are rural, low-income communities where food insecurity is persistent and grocery access is limited, the kind of region where a food bank is a core part of the safety net rather than a backstop.
Yes. The Food Bank of Central Louisiana is a registered 501(c)(3) and a Feeding America member. Donors can review its financials through Charity Navigator and GuideStar. Bulk buying and donated food mean a gift produces many meals, and giving here has outsized impact given the region’s need.
Donations and volunteer shifts run through fbcenla.org. Volunteers sort and pack food and help at distributions, and cash gifts go furthest because of the food bank’s purchasing power.
The Food Bank of Central Louisiana covers the Alexandria region in the center of the state, while Second Harvest covers New Orleans and south Louisiana and the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank covers the Baton Rouge metro. For anyone in central Louisiana, this is the lead organization.
Agencies across 11 central Louisiana parishes.
Channeling surplus food to people in need to cut waste.
School and weekend food support for kids at risk of hunger.
Food assistance for older adults on fixed incomes.
Sources: Food Bank of Central Louisiana website (fbcenla.org), Feeding Louisiana, and the organization’s GuideStar and Feeding America profiles. We are not affiliated with Food Bank of Central Louisiana and receive no compensation for this listing. Spotted an error? [email protected]
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