quality programs, events, & activities impacting the 504
ROOTS 2 RISE SUMMER YOUTH PROGRAM
Root to Rise is a 6-week free summer youth program for New Orleans students in grades 6 - 10, designed to build real skills, real confidence, and real community.
As an extension of our existing youth program, we created a space where young people are challenged to think like entrepreneurs, grow their own food, care for their bodies, and develop the life tools they need to step boldly into their future.
- Every session is intentional.
- Every participant is valued.
- Every day is an investment in who these young people are becoming.
The Tentative Schedule is Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays 10:00 am - 2:30 pm
The final calendar (including holidays) will be released on the first day of the program.
Krewe de Charite'
Krewe de Charité is IMPACT504’s year‑round movement of generosity, inspired by the joyful giving spirit of Mardi Gras and the delight that even the simplest throws bring to parade‑goers. We asked ourselves what could happen if that same energy was channeled into providing essentials for our underserved communities—and Krewe de Charité was born.
Taking a full 360‑degree approach to charity, the Krewe supports neighbors in need of care while creating meaningful ways for individuals, organizations, and institutions to give it.
Our efforts include stocking and uplifting New Orleans Community Fridges and Pantries, providing hygiene products, food, clothing, and other essentials to underhoused residents, offering school supplies to students and educators, and supporting education, leadership development, and community service projects across local schools.
Krewe de Charité transforms the spirit of Mardi Gras generosity into a sustained force for love, dignity, and community impact throughout the 504.
#504HungerTAKEOVER
#504HungerTAKEOVER is IMPACT504’s city‑wide initiative to combat rising food insecurity and fill critical gaps left by declining government food support. Rooted in community strength and collaboration, #504HungerTAKEOVER unites organizations, institutions, and residents in a shared mission to ensure that every neighbor has access to nourishing meals.
Through hot meal distributions, support for community cooks, and the ongoing stocking of community fridges and pantries throughout the 504, the program mobilizes resources and people to meet immediate needs while building a more caring, hunger‑free New Orleans.
#504HungerTAKEOVER is more than a response—it’s a movement determined to end hunger, one act of community care at a time.
HEALTHY504
Healthy504 is IMPACT504’s dynamic health and wellness initiative designed to help New Orleans residents move, eat, and live better—right in their own neighborhoods.
Through weekly MOVE504 park workouts, accessible nutrition education, and engaging health and wellness activities, Healthy504 empowers families to build stronger habits and take control of their well‑being. By combining fun, community‑centered fitness with practical tools for healthier living, the program supports a more active, informed, and connected 504.
Healthy504 is where movement meets community—and where wellness becomes a shared celebration.
IMPACT UNIVERSITY
Impact University is IMPACT504’s evolving vision for a comprehensive community center that provides wrap‑around services designed to uplift, equip, and empower the 504.
Inspired by the belief that opportunity should be accessible to everyone, Impact University will serve as a hub for learning, skill‑building, and personal growth.
While we continue working toward funding and securing the land and facilities needed to bring this space fully to life, we are launching programming this year to ensure the impact begins now.
Our initiatives include Urban Roots farming and cooking, youth entrepreneurship, workforce development, and first‑time homebuyer and personal finance workshops—each designed to strengthen families, support upward mobility, and cultivate leaders across New Orleans.
Impact University is more than a center; it is a pathway to possibility, resilience, and long‑term community transformation.
Youth StartUp
YouthStartUp is IMPACT504’s upcoming innovative workforce and entrepreneurship pathway designed to help New Orleans young people learn and earn their way into brighter futures.
Launching in 2027, YouthStartUp will be an eight‑week, paid training experience for 20–25 at‑risk youth ages 16–21, combining job skills, entrepreneurship education, and worker‑power training into one transformative program.
Participants will gain real‑world experience through internships, build financial literacy, develop business ideas, and learn how to advocate for themselves in the workplace.
By modernizing traditional workforce development and centering youth creativity, confidence, and economic empowerment, YouthStartUp will cultivate a new generation of leaders ready to shape the 504.
More information coming soon!
Urban Roots Farming and Cooking
Urban Roots is IMPACT504’s hands‑on farming and cooking program designed to reconnect New Orleans youth and families with the power of growing, preparing, and enjoying fresh food.
Through container gardening, at‑home grow kits, and interactive cooking and nutrition demonstrations, Urban Roots teaches practical skills that promote healthier eating and strengthen food independence across the 504.
Participants learn where food comes from, how to grow it in small or shared spaces, and how to turn harvests into delicious, nourishing meals. By blending creativity, culture, and community knowledge, Urban Roots cultivates confidence, curiosity, and a deeper connection to wellness—planting seeds for a healthier, more self‑sustaining New Orleans.
IMPACT 5/04 Day Week of Service
IMPACT504 Day is a citywide celebration of doing good simply for the sake of doing good.
Held during the week of May 4th, this annual Week of Service invites the entire New Orleans community—residents, businesses, schools, organizations, and neighborhood groups—to “Spread LOVE, Bring HOPE, and Change LIVES” across the 504.
Through volunteering, donating, uplifting others, and performing acts of kindness big and small, IMPACT504 Day transforms the spirit of service into a shared movement for lasting impact.
More than a moment on the calendar, it is a call to action that strengthens community bonds, elevates those in need, and inspires a culture of compassion that continues long after the week ends.
Keep Gert Town Safe
Keep Gert Town Safe is an IMPACT504 initiative dedicated to strengthening storm readiness and community safety across the neighborhood. By providing practical tools—such as evacuation guides, emergency planning tips, storm‑prep checklists, and coordinated neighborhood check‑ins—the program empowers Gert Town residents to prepare confidently for hurricane season and protect their families.
Households that register at IMPACT504.org gain access to vital safety information, community support networks, and opportunities to win storm‑readiness supplies.
Keep Gert Town Safe promotes preparedness not just as an individual responsibility, but as a shared effort to keep the entire community informed, supported, and resilient.
BOO!Dat504
BOO!Dat504 is where IMPACT504 got its start—a community tradition born in the years after COVID to bring families together for safe, fun, and meaningful activities while raising awareness about domestic violence and uplifting survivors.
What began as a neighborhood gathering has grown into a vibrant annual celebration filled with creativity, learning, and community care. BOO!Dat504 features a dynamic Community Resource Fair, STEM NOLA activities, Krewe de Charité essentials giveaways, HASO youth arts and crafts, costume contests for all ages, multiple haunted house experiences, live performances, food, music, and the energetic MOVE504 Interactive Zone.
The event also includes efforts to raise Domestic Violence Awareness and support for shelters - reinforcing the day’s deeper purpose: spreading joy while standing in solidarity with survivors and strengthening the 504 through awareness, support, and togetherness.
WinterFest504
WinterFest504 embodies the true spirit of Christmas and the Principles of Kwanzaa by bringing together joy, culture, and community celebration in the heart of the 504.
Anchored by Uptown’s only Christmas parade, WinterFest504 creates a magical holiday experience filled with activities that uplift families and strengthen community bonds. The festival features Krewe de Charité essentials giveaways, HASO youth arts and crafts, Toys for Tots gifts, photos with Santa, live performances, food, music, and an energetic MOVE504 Interactive Zone. Families can also enjoy “Movies Under the Moon,” adding a cozy and memorable close to the celebration.
WinterFest504 is more than a holiday event—it is a vibrant expression of love, unity, and shared tradition across New Orleans.
the "something" to "i wish there was something i could do"
