These 20 nonprofits, all launched within the last 20 years, are focused on making Baton Rouge better

Discover the heart and soul of the greater Baton Rouge community through a look at 20 local nonprofits that were created in the 20 years since 225 Magazine was born in 2005. From supporting education and health to preserving culture and the environment, these organizations keep giving back year after year, making our community stronger for all of its citizens.

1. United Cajun Navy

When the water rises, the United Cajun Navy rises higher, jumping into action to rescue neighbors and save lives with boats, bravery and big hearts. Born in 2005 after Hurricane Katrina, this group of volunteer heroes has since responded to natural disasters around the country.

2. Bridge Center for Hope

A grieving father’s advocacy on behalf of people with mental illness led to a partnership with the Baton Rouge Area Foundation and ultimately the creation of this facility in 2021. As the state’s first crisis receiving center, the Bridge Center has since cared for more than 13,000 East Baton Rouge Parish residents experiencing mental health or substance abuse crises.

3. Friends of the Animals Baton Rouge

Friends of the Animals has been making tails wag since 2010 by finding forever homes for more than 7,500 dogs from area shelters. Adoptable dogs and puppies are always available at the Dog Adoption House on Highland Road, and volunteers provide temporary foster homes for animals waiting for adoption.

4. Louisiana Stormwater Coalition

A steady stream of litter clogging local waterways inspired a group of Baton Rougeans to create this organization in 2021. The Louisiana Stormwater Coalition has hosted cleanups, installed litter booms, and inspired the passage of key legislation. Phase 2 of a stormwater litter management plan at Capitol Lake is now underway with the installation of four types of litter traps.

5. Front Yard Bikes

Launched in 2010 with a simple goal of teaching kids to repair bicycles, Front Yard Bikes has expanded its scope through free after-school and summer programs that foster leadership and workforce skills as well as academic achievement and inclusivity.

6. Knock Knock Children’s Museum

Since the doors to its brightly colored City Park building opened in 2017, Knock Knock Children’s Museum has been Baton Rouge’s playful wonderland, sparking curiosity and learning through hands-on fun. Its 18 interactive learning zones encourage exploration and creativity, while a calendar of educational programming aims to engage children from infancy to age 8.

7. Fathers on a Mission

Fathers on a Mission (F.O.A.M.), founded in 2017, is flipping the script on fatherhood in Baton Rouge, bringing mentorship, support and straight-up real talk to help dads rock their roles and build stronger families. Through programs including fatherhood meetings and classes as well as job-finding assistance, F.O.A.M. proves that being a great dad is the ultimate superpower.

8. Companion Animal Alliance

Created in 2010 as the only open-intake animal shelter in East Baton Rouge Parish, Companion Animal Alliance cares for more than 9,000 animals a year. The shelter also operates the Pets for Life Baton Rouge program, which provides free services to pet owners without access to affordable veterinary care.

9. Baton Rouge Youth Coalition

Weekly after-school programs for eighth- through twelfth-graders are at the heart of Baton Rouge Youth Coalition’s programming, aimed at sparking change and building bright futures for lower-income students of color. Founded in 2009, BRYC now follows its Fellows beyond high school into college and careers, empowering them to succeed through pursuing their passions.

10. The Walls Project

The Walls Project has been painting Baton Rouge with hope and opportunity since its inception in 2012. The organization aims to tear down societal walls through community revitalization initiatives, public art installations and blight remediation, as well as training via its Futures Fund and access to healthy foods through Baton Roots.

11. Keep Tiger Town Beautiful

Keep Tiger Town Beautiful is Baton Rouge’s green dream team, making major roadways and neighborhoods shine brighter and cleaner through Saturday litter cleanups since 2021. By providing resources for volunteers to plan their own cleanup events, the organization also aims to help foster community pride and environmental stewardship.

12. Line 4 Line

Literacy meets good looks for this 2016-founded nonprofit that provides free haircuts to kids in exchange for reading books aloud to mentors. Line 4 Line’s programs also now include a high school barbering curriculum, youth mentoring initiatives, and access to free books for children and schools.

13. Network of Women NOW

Ending “period poverty”—a lack of access to affordable menstrual products—is one of the main missions of this 2020-launched organization, which focuses not only on helping Louisianans but also on supporting women and girls around the world by providing hygiene kits and education.

14. Empower 225

Empower 225 is all about lifting up the Capital Region with educational, housing and mentorship programs for young people at risk of homelessness and dependency. This organization, founded in 2010, is committed to help transform potential into power, one young life at a time.

15. The Life of a Single Mom

Founder Jennifer Maggio was supporting solo parents for years before she created The Life of a Single Mom in 2011. The organization’s online life skills coursework program, dubbed Single Mom University, now reaches thousands of people each year, and its Single Moms Across America facilitates support groups from coast to coast.

16. Gardere Initiative

What began in 2006 as a response to a crime problem has grown into a rich tapestry of resources and programs for children and families in the Gardere area. Gardere Initiative‘s services include after-school, holiday and summer programs for kids, plus community cleanups and community gardens, all aimed at improving quality of life in Gardere.

17. Bella Bowman Foundation

Kim and Trey Bowman channeled their grief in the wake of their 8-year-old daughter’s death into helping other families with sick children and supporting pediatric brain cancer research. Since creating the foundation named for her in 2012, they have helped to fund cancer studies by LSU and Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center and distributed thousands of “ComfortCare” bags to families at local hospitals.

18. City Year Baton Rouge

This local arm of a national organization settled in the Capital City in 2005 to address student displacement and disruption after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The young adults who serve as City Year Americorps members give their time to local public schools, where they act as tutors and mentors to students and collaborators with school administrators.

19. Kids Orchestra

Founded in 2010, Kids Orchestra has served more than 6,000 students through after-school music education programs and performance opportunities, fostering creativity, discipline and confidence in young musicians across the community. Need-based scholarships ensure that all children are able to engage in what could become a lifetime of loving the musical arts.

20. Three O’Clock Project

More than 6 million meals have been served to at-risk kids and their families by this organization since its inception in 2017. By partnering with schools, food vendors and other community groups, Three O’Clock Project distributes healthy meals during after-school enrichment programs, summer camps and beyond.

This article was originally published in the November 2025 issue of 225 Magazine.