Missions Bayou

Ready to start planning your campaign? Grab our GiveNOLA Day Playbook Worksheet and map out your strategy, messaging, and donor outreach before the big day. Download the worksheet: comfystone.com/givenoladayplaybook The Missions Bayou GiveNOLA Day Series is a special set of conversations designed to help nonprofits make the most of one of the biggest giving days in New Orleans. Hosted by Maya McGe...

Jonshell Johnson is the Education Coordinator at Grow Dat Youth Farm, and To'Nae is a member of the Youth Assistants Crew. Together, they join us to share how this seven-acre farm in City Park is doing far more than growing food—it’s growing leaders. We talk about how the organization hires and mentors young people through paid job training, hands-on farming, and workshops that explore food ju...

Samantha Rohr is the Cohort Leader, and Alaina Dunn is the Program Director of The COOL Cooperative, a nonprofit equipping New Orleans youth with filmmaking and workforce skills that extend far beyond the camera. We talk with them about how Cool Cooperative provides free, hands-on film education to middle and high school students through year-round cohorts, summer camp, in-school programs, and ind...

Heather West is the Executive Director of Community Sailing New Orleans. She joins us to talk about how her organization is increasing access to Lake Pontchartrain and making the sport of sailing available to people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities. We discuss how Community Sailing removes financial and skill barriers, offers youth programs, adaptive sailing opportunities, veterans initiati...

Dexter Ellis is the Board Vice President of the Native Plant Initiative of Greater New Orleans, and he joins us to break down why native plants matter for our environment, our infrastructure, and our everyday lives. We talk through the mission of the Native Plant Initiative, an all-volunteer organization focused on increasing the use and public awareness of native plants through public gardens, fr...

Noam Platt is an architect and the founder of Make Good, a nonprofit using design and 3D printing to create low-cost, open-source assistive devices for people with disabilities and chronic conditions. We talk with Noam about how his background in architecture translated into assistive technology, why so many essential tools are overpriced or inaccessible, and how Make Good works directly with the...

Brett Davis is the founding director of Grounds Krewe, a New Orleans nonprofit working to reduce waste during Mardi Gras and other large-scale events. We sit down with Brett to unpack how Mardi Gras has become one of the most waste-producing events in the world, why plastic parade throws are at the center of the problem, and how the structure of an unsponsored, unticketed celebration has unintenti...

Jaleesa Jackson is the co-founder of Women of Wakanda, and Krysten Perkins is a Vibranium Council Member within the collective. We sit down with Jaleesa and Krysten to talk about how Women of Wakanda began in 2018 and grew into an Afro-futurist, joy-centered community rooted in mutual aid, imagination, and care for Black women in New Orleans. Together, we explore how the group mirrors the legacy o...

Alex Owens is the Executive Director of Be Loud Studios, and Jace is a Junior Producer at Be Loud Studios. In this conversation, we talk about how Be Loud started as a classroom experiment and grew into a nonprofit dedicated to amplifying youth voice through radio, podcasting, and digital media. Alex shares the origin story of the organization, how giving young people a microphone transformed enga...

Daniel Harris is the Executive Director of Winston Rhea, a nonprofit supporting young adults as they age out of the foster care system. We talk with Daniel about the deeply personal origin of Winston Rhea, the mentors who shaped his life while he was in foster care, and how that experience led him to build a four-year, hands-on support program rooted in consistency, grace, and long-term commitment...

Greg Ravy is the CEO of Heroes of New Orleans, an organization expanding opportunities for youth through workforce development, entrepreneurship, and family support. We sit down with Greg to talk about why so many young people struggle to access meaningful career paths, how his team helps students build real-world skills, and the importance of exposing youth to options beyond what they see every d...

Dan Fox is the Editor-In-Chief and publisher of ANTIGRAVITY Magazine, one of New Orleans’ most trusted alternative print publications. We sit down with Dan to talk about the origins of ANTIGRAVITY, its mission to document underrepresented culture, and how the magazine has grown from a DIY alt-rag to a community institution that’s influenced writers, artists, and local media for two decades. We als...

Amanda Takacs is the Program Coordinator and Seth Blitch is the Director of Conservation at The Nature Conservancy. We sit down with them to unpack the Louisiana Treesilience Program: how restoring and expanding urban tree canopy on public land keeps neighborhoods cooler, buffers storms, absorbs floodwater, supports wildlife, and even calms traffic. They break down the “right tree, right place” ap...

Alison Hotard and Josie Delaune are the Executive Director and President of YLC. We sit down with them to talk about YLC’s 40th anniversary, why retaining young professionals matters in New Orleans, and how the organization is evolving, including alumni “Where Are They Now?” spotlights, a reunion, and fresh pathways for skills-based volunteering, mentorship, and civic engagement. We also dig into...

Chuck Morse is the Executive Director and Bernadette Carriere is the Director of Thrive Business at Thrive New Orleans. We sit down with them to talk about the Barbara Lacen-Keller Park project in Central City, why honoring a beloved civic leader and culture bearer matters now, and how replacing concrete with green space can cool the neighborhood, reduce crime, and capture stormwater (targeting ~1...

Austyn Malynn is the Program Manager at Girls on the Run New Orleans. We talk about how their after-school program pairs joyful movement with social-emotional learning to rebuild confidence for girls ages 8–14, culminating in a noncompetitive, “happy pace” Spring 5K where every finish is a win. We cover why confidence dips in middle school, why girls drop out of sports at higher rates, and how GOT...

Alexis Marceaux is the Director of Community Programming for the Lafitte Greenway Partnership. We sit down with Alexis to explore how the Lafitte Greenway transformed from a post-Katrina grassroots vision into a vibrant 2.6-mile linear park connecting six New Orleans neighborhoods. Alexis shares how the Greenway’s programs, like the Supernova light and music festival, engage local communities and...

Don-Scott Cooper is the Producing Executive Director of Le Petit Théâtre, one of the oldest theaters in the United States. We sat down with Don to explore the incredible 108-year history of Le Petit, from its founding by French-speaking performers in 1917 to its ongoing role as a cornerstone of New Orleans’ vibrant arts scene. Don shares what makes live theater irreplaceable, why communal storytel...

Eric Seiferth is a curator and historian at the Historic New Orleans Collection (HNOC). We sat down with Eric and our special guest host, Scott Tilton, to talk about HNOC’s two powerful new exhibitions: Making It Home , which tells the story of New Orleans’ Vietnamese community starting in 1975, and The Trail They Blazed , a deep dive into the local civil rights movement from the 1950s through the...

Nia DeCoux is the Education Manager at BK Historic House and Gardens, a French Quarter museum that tells the layered stories of New Orleans through the lens of one historic home. We sat down with Nia, alongside special guest host Scott Tilton of the New Orleans Foundation for Francophone Culture (NOUS Foundation), to explore how BK House is reclaiming space for locals in a neighborhood too often t...

Toure Folkes is the Executive Director of Turning Tables, a New Orleans-based nonprofit that is redefining what leadership looks like in the city’s hospitality and spirits industry. We sat down with Toure to talk about how his 12-week externship program is helping create real career paths for bartenders from underrepresented communities. The program combines hands-on training, mental health resour...

Jordan Cressy, Director of Impact and Innovation, and Eric Walter, Jr., Director of Impact and Post-Secondary Experiences at Junior Achievement, join us to discuss JA Startup, a new program designed to support young entrepreneurs in New Orleans. Focused on 18–25-year-olds who already have businesses, JA Startup provides mentorship, a comprehensive resource guide, and up to $25,000 in funding to he...

Chase Mattison is the co-founder of Feels, a digital marketplace connecting visitors to local nonprofits, and Mike Springer is the owner of Book NOLA, a hospitality company helping guests experience New Orleans. We sat down with them to talk about how Feels is reshaping the way businesses and visitors support New Orleans nonprofits through easy, hyperlocal giving. We dive into how the platform red...

Clara Baron-Hyppolite is the Executive Director of College Beyond, a nonprofit helping Louisiana students, especially those from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, navigate the college application process and access the financial aid they need to succeed. We talk with Clara about the recent drop in FAFSA completion rates since the state mandate was repealed, and how that’s impacting college a...

Tifferney White is the CEO of the Louisiana Children’s Museum, and she’s leading a major expansion that’s reshaping how the museum serves older kids and teens. With a new $2.5 million grant from the Lilly Endowment, the museum is “aging up”—adding exhibits for youth up to age 14 and launching a teen mentorship program designed to build leadership and life skills. We talk with Tifferney about how t...