The Gardere Initiative is celebrating 20 years in the Gardere community, and a new generation is stepping up to give back.

Arielle Forest was born in 2006 and was just 4 years old when her father passed away. Her mother and grandmother raised her.

“They kind of had to be mom and dad,” Forest said.

Raising a family in Gardere during the 2000s came with many challenges, including increased crime, poverty, and food insecurity.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, more than 35% of Gardere residents live below the poverty line.

According to Feeding Louisiana, 16.3% of East Baton Rouge Parish residents experience food insecurity.

To help families and children in the community, the Gardere Initiative was created by attorney Rica Kwentua of Faith Chapel and Pastor Reginald Pitcher of Greater Sixty-Aid Baptist Church. The organization was founded to help restore peace following rising tensions between residents from the 225 and 504 areas after Hurricane Katrina.

Forest joined the program as a student at 11 years old when her grandmother, Carla Moye, began volunteering.

“The Gardere Initiative is a big deep breath for the Gardere community,” Forest said.

In 2025, community leaders reported zero homicides in Gardere. Dr. Murelle Harrison believes that is a result of the nonprofit’s work.

“We have significantly reduced crime. And because of that, now there’s more of a sense of community,” Harrison said.

When Harrison took over in 2013, the team began a free afterschool program for children ages 3 to 18.

“I believe that education is the path to getting out of poverty,” Harrison said.

Volunteers focus on mentorship, from helping with homework to providing snacks and playtime. Tyelise Harrison said the program serves as a safe space for children to grow and learn while many parents are still at work.

“They think of us as more like their family, like an aunt or uncle, as opposed to just ‘my teacher,’” Harrison said.

What started as a small group of children in 2006 has grown into a multigenerational support system shaping Gardere’s future.

“A lot of those kids are now in honor societies and college, graduating from high school,” Forest said.

As the Gardere Initiative celebrates two decades, leaders hope the next generation of children and volunteers will continue the legacy. With Tyelise Harrison working alongside her mother and volunteers like Forest, the initiative aims to reach more generations to come.

Those interested in volunteering can contact [email protected]