who we are
About CenLA
CenLA stands for Central Louisiana – the anklebone of the boot of Louisiana. It’s a rural part of the world, with plenty of wide open space, and often spotty cell reception. The area isn’t densely populated, and there aren’t any designer stores. But the area is rich in plenty of things: natural resources, good stories, and people that will care for you through all of life’s ups and downs. Folks from Central Louisiana know firsthand that while the rest of the world might not be thinking about us and our needs, when we care for one another, we don’t need the rest of the world. Central Louisiana is resilient, beautiful, and unique: a place worth caring for.
Parishes in Central Louisiana
- Allen (22, 698)
- Avoyelles (38,226)
- Catahoula (8,122)
- Concordia (17,585)
- Grant (22,289)
- LaSalle (14,640)
- Natchitoches (35,573)
- Rapides (125,345)
- Sabine (21,556)
- Vernon (45,391)
- Winn (13,398)
Poverty Rates in Central Louisiana
- Allen 20.42%
- Avoyelles 27.36%
- Catahoula 18.93%
- Concordia 34.78%
- Grant 16.13%
- LaSalle 15.46%
- Natchitoches 34.82%
- Rapides 18.94%
- Sabine 22.7%
- Vernon 18.27%
- Winn 22.02%
Learn more about the Food Bank
Food Bank
of Central Louisiana
Founded in 1989, the Food Bank of Central Louisiana serves 11 parishes in Central Louisiana: Allen, Avoyelles, Catahoula, Concordia, Grant, LaSalle, Natchitoches, Rapides, Sabine, Vernon, and Winn
Most of these parishes are rural areas, with minimal resources. Over the course of a month, the Food Bank of Central Louisiana sets up 27 Mobile Food Pantries in these parishes. From 2024 – 2025, 3,479,618 lbs of food were distributed at these Mobile Food Pantries.
FOOD INSECUIRTY
1 in 5 people in Central Louisiana live in a food-insecure household. From 2024 – 2025, the Food Bank of Central Louisiana distributed 11,808,504 lbs of food to those in need – a record for the organization.
IMMEDIATE NEED
For the first time in 35 years, the Food Bank of Central Louisiana us currently facing moments of bare shelves. The need for food has been larger than ever before. Please consider donating goods, money, or your time to the Food Bank of Central Louisiana.
Learn more about the Food Bank
SARA WHITTINGTON
of Rapides Parish