Founder Janet Gorence Davas
It all began over 15 years ago when Janet Gorence Davas opened our first location just across from a New Orleans courthouse. Her vision was to create a safe space for young adults who had been neglected or criminalized to come to find a warm meal, job opportunities, and a supportive community.
Over ten years later, we are still that place, and 1,000+ young people have come through our doors. One important factor has changed. The young people who knocked on our door seeking guidance are now guiding us.
Fast forward to today, and Liberty’s Kitchen still offers the same opportunities, having welcomed 1,000+ young people through our doors. Trainees in our Youth Development Program spend 10 weeks building workforce skills that set them on the path to success in the culinary world and beyond.
After graduation, our doors are always open to alumni who need access to resources, computers, or a family meal. All graduates are invited to serve on the Youth Leadership Council to become decision makers, attend trainings, and plan events. It’s a full circle moment when the young people who knocked on our door seeking guidance now guide us.
Along with expanding alumni engagement through the years, Liberty’s Kitchen has grown to include a Midcity dine-in location, a catering business, and community venues. One thing that has never changed? Our commitment to empower young adults facing extraordinary barriers.
As we approach our third decade of service, Liberty’s Kitchen continues to gather around the kitchen table. With a stronger community presence and dedicated group of talented alumni we strive towards building a better city where every young person has an opportunity to succeed. Come be a part of our story and witness how we continue to make a difference, one young life at a time.
In our second decade, we still sit around a kitchen table. But we are leveraging our expanded community presence and deep well of graduate talent to work toward a better city–one where every young person can succeed. We hope you will join us in this mission.
