This new community closet and food pantry is stocked with care

Inside the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center, there are plenty of resources and a staff eager to help. This community hub, which also houses District 7 Councilwoman Twahna P. Harris’s office, is a place where all are welcome. 

Harris calls this center the “heartbeat” of District 7. 

The center has been open and serving Baton Rougeans since 1978. It provides resources like educational programs, rental assistance, summer camps and medical services, just to name a few. And in May, the center expanded its ever-growing list of services to include a free community closet and food pantry.

Inspiration for these new additions to the center was sparked just two months before their opening during a meeting between Harris and the center’s director Mia Cummings. Harris says that Cummings helped pull this project together with her community’s needs in mind. 

“It all came together perfectly,” Harris says. “We see homeless folks coming, and we also see victims of domestic violence who come through the door. So we serve a whole community—folks from all walks of life.”

The new closet consists of three rooms, catered to men, women and children. Suit jackets, trousers, khakis and loafers are displayed on racks and shelves in the men’s closet. The women’s room holds dresses, blouses, shoes, bags and more. Toys and bassinets line the walls of the colorfully decorated children’s closet space. Clothes for girls and boys can be found in this section too, including Spiderman T-shirts and Minnie Mouse dresses. 

Cummings says the center has a storage space that includes items for infants, furniture and even more clothing. 

“We’re not limited to just the clothes,” Cummings says. “I don’t turn anything down because you never know who may need it.”

A new food pantry is also open in the space. The pantry also houses a counter and microwave so food can be easily prepared. Cummings recommends that food donations contain non-perishable goods, cans with easy-to-open lids and microwavable dishes. 

These additions aim to help people who are struggling get back on their feet. The hope is that the center will provide a variety of resources that any person experiencing hardship may need.

“We’re tackling this holistically, making certain that everyone who comes through the doors has everything they need,” Harris says. 

The team has projects in the works to help progress this mission. Harris says they are working to incorporate interview preparedness, resume building and job placement into this project. A new tutoring and learning center will also open in the coming months. 

The public has been a tremendous help. Donations have been piling in, and the community is already seeing the results. 

One of Cummings’ most memorable recent moments came when a child visited the center on their birthday and received a birthday kit with cake mix. She says it has been amazing to see children come to the space and realize they can take what they want, with no limit. 

For all individuals who use the resources, Harris wants them to feel welcome, supported, and safe in this space.

“You have a village here who stands with you and supports you, and no one is turned away,” Harris says. “Don’t be concerned about being judged, because that’s not who we are as a community. We know that at any given moment, we can all find ourselves in those tight spaces, so you’re not alone.”

The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center is located at 4000 Gus Young Ave.

Donations for the community closet and food pantry can be dropped off from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Tuesdays and Fridays.