Missions Bayou

Antonio Travis is the Leadership Development Manager and Cameron Dumas is the Leadership Development Coordinator at Friends and Families of Louisiana’s Incarcerated Children (FFLIC), an organization working to transform the systems that impact Louisiana’s young people and families. We sat down with Antonio and Cameron to discuss FFLIC’s advocacy, the lasting effects of punitive school discipline,...

Melanie Richardson is the co-founder and executive director of Training Grounds, a New Orleans nonprofit helping parents and caregivers build stronger foundations for children during their first five years. We sat down with Melanie to talk about why those early years matter so much, the challenges families face when early learning and developmental support are hard to access, and how Training Grou...

Dr. Kimberly Clay is the Founder and CEO of Play Like A Girl, a nonprofit working to help girls build confidence, develop leadership skills, and explore pathways into STEM and other careers. We sat down with Dr. Clay to talk about how Play Like A Girl grew from a small support network into a national organization, and how sports, mentorship, workplace exposure, and early intervention can help girl...

Tina Terrell Brown is the Vice President of Marketing and Communications at Giving Gap, a platform working to spotlight, support, and strengthen Black-founded and Black-led nonprofit organizations across the country. We sat down with Tina to talk about why Giving Gap was created, how the organization has continued building momentum since 2020, and why increasing visibility, funding, and connection...

Heavyn Brousseau is the Dreams and Volunteer Coordinator for Second Wind Dreams, a nonprofit dedicated to changing the perception of aging by helping older adults experience meaningful moments, fulfill lifelong wishes, and feel seen and valued. We talk with Heavyn about how the organization’s Dreams Program works, from training Dream Weavers to uncover residents’ hopes and memories to bringing tog...

The students of the Sanaa Music Workshop are the future of New Orleans music. We sat down with Joshua Alexander, Tavares Moore, Bryce Reyes, and Bella Meese to hear how the workshop is helping them grow as musicians while preparing them for successful careers through mentorship, entrepreneurship, and real-world music business education. From discovering their musical passions to learning about fin...

Gregory Ajid is the Executive Director and Co-Founder of Second Line Arts Collective, and Madelin Alexander is a returning student of the organization's Sanaa Music Workshop. We sat down with Greg and Madelin to explore how the workshop is preparing the next generation of musicians by blending world-class music education with entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and real-world career developm...

Ginelle Bess is the Founder and Executive Director of Grassroots Redeeming Love, and Taquera Walker is the organization's Board President. We sat down with them to discuss how a devastating EF3 tornado changed North St. Louis and inspired a volunteer-led movement that has grown into a nonprofit dedicated to long-term recovery. They share how a simple act of showing up with trash bags and bottl...

Jennifer Allen is the Executive Director of St. Louis Art Place Initiative (API) , a nonprofit creating pathways to affordable homeownership for artists while preserving the culture and identity of St. Louis neighborhoods. We sat down with Jennifer to explore how API is tackling artist displacement by combining affordable housing, public art, and community-driven development to help creatives buil...

Emma Klues is the Vice President of Communications and Outreach at Great Rivers Greenway in St. Louis, Missouri. We sat down with Emma to explore how Great Rivers Greenway is connecting communities across the St. Louis region through an expanding network of greenways that promote recreation, transportation, environmental stewardship, and economic growth. We discuss how community input shapes every...

Sarah Barnet is a Nonprofit Coordinator at Gulf Coast Bank, where she helps lead Auctions in August, a unique fundraising initiative that has raised nearly $1.7 million for nonprofits across the Gulf South. We sat down with Sarah to talk about how the program works, why it was created, and how it helps organizations raise funds without taking on the burden of running their own auction. She shares...

Kenneth Hoffman is the Executive Director of the Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience. We sat down with Kenneth to talk about the museum’s mission to preserve and share over 300 years of Jewish history in the American South, and why understanding these stories matters now more than ever. From immigration and identity to community-building and cultural exchange, Kenneth shares how Southern Jewi...

Emily Snyder is a Program Manager at Urban Conservancy. We sat down with Emily to talk about how Urban Conservancy is helping build a greener, healthier, and more resilient New Orleans through stormwater management, native plants, tree advocacy, and community-driven environmental education. From protecting the city’s tree canopy to helping residents better understand green infrastructure, Emily sh...

As part of our Maternal Health Month series this May, we’re highlighting the voices, organizations, and conversations shaping the future of care for families in New Orleans. Joined by guest host Dr. Lauren LaRose, psychiatrist and host of the Little Brain Campaign podcast, we’re bringing added perspective to these important conversations. Throughout the month, we’re diving into the realities of ma...

As part of our Maternal Health Month series this May, we’re highlighting the voices, organizations, and conversations shaping the future of care for families in New Orleans. Joined by guest host Dr. Lauren LaRose, psychiatrist and host of the Little Brain Campaign podcast, we’re bringing added perspective to these important conversations. Throughout the month, we’re diving into the realities of ma...

As part of our Maternal Health Month series this May, we’re highlighting the voices, organizations, and conversations shaping the future of care for families in New Orleans. Joined by guest host Dr. Lauren LaRose, psychiatrist and host of the Little Brain Campaign podcast, we’re bringing added perspective to these important conversations. Throughout the month, we’re diving into the realities of ma...

Dominique Jones-Johnson is the founder and executive director of Daughters Beyond Incarceration, an organization dedicated to supporting and empowering girls with incarcerated parents. We sit down with Dominique to talk about how DBI creates a safe, transformative space for girls ages 8–18 through mentorship, afterschool programming, and a powerful youth policy fellowship that teaches them how to...

Michael Williamson is the President and CEO of United Way of Southeast Louisiana. We sit down with Michael to break down United Way’s bold mission to eradicate poverty in our region and their goal of helping 100,000 individuals reach pathways to prosperity by 2035. We dive into the reality of ALICE households, working individuals and families who are still struggling to afford basic needs, and how...

Jeanne Geoffray is the co-founder of the 431 Exchange, and Jeanna Barrett is an educator and scholarship recipient. We sit down with Jeanne and Jeanna to explore how the 431 Exchange is expanding access to education across Louisiana by supporting adult learners with scholarships, mentorship, and long-term guidance. Jeanne shares the powerful origin story rooted in a 1965 New Orleans secretarial sc...

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...

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...

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...

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...