Founder Janet Gorence Davas

Janet Gorence Davas opened our first location across the street from a New Orleans courthouse as a counterpoint to incarceration. Her vision was to create a place where young adults who had been neglected or criminalized could come for a hot meal, a job opportunity, and a support system.

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.

Over the years, Liberty’s Kitchen has operated two dine-in locations, a catering business, and several community food access projects. The one constant that has remained in this rapidly-changing environment is our commitment to training motivated young adults facing extraordinary challenges by connecting them with employment and education opportunities and developing their skills as leaders and mentors. These young leaders play pivotal roles in our businesses, programs, and planning.

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.