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FRESH CENTRAL

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WHAT IS FRESH CENTRAL?

Fresh Central is part of the Central Louisiana Local Foods Initiative, a community effort that aims to strengthen Central Louisiana’s local foods economy while increasing access to fresh foods for all residents of the region. The initiative was created in 2012 with a Challenge for a Healthier Louisiana Grant from the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation of Louisiana and matching funding from The Rapides Foundation. The initiative is being continued through funding from a Healthy Behaviors Program Grant from The Rapides Foundation, the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service, and a philanthropic investment from Keller Enterprises, LLC. It is connected by the Central Louisiana Economic Development Alliance.
THE OUTDOOR
RECREATION ECONOMY
GENERATES

  • $8

    MILLION SPENT
    ANNUALLY

  • 59

    THOUSAND
    JOBS

  • 10TH

    RANKED IN OUTDOOR
    RECREATION
    VALUE-ADDED
    MANUFACTURING

  • 3.2

    LOCATION
    QUOTIENT*

$20.9

BOATING FISHING

$16.9

RV-ING

$9.1

MOTORCYCLING ATVING

$8.8

HIUNTING SHOOTING TRAPPING

$7.8

EQUESTRIAN

$5.6

SNOW ACTIVITIES
U.S. NOMINAL VALUE- ADDED FOR LARGEST CONVENTION OUTDOOR
RECREATION ACTIVITES, 2017 (IN BILLIONS)

We Connect Through

  • VISION BUILDING

    Helping establish visions, frameworks, and blueprints for the future. CLEDA strives to elevate the region's idea of what's possible.

  • NETWORK CREATION

    Facilitating the creation of networks that allow for better alignment, communication, and achievement within or between groups.

  • SKILL BUILDING

    CLEDA offers or collaborates with others to offer workshops and coaching to enhance skills needed by employers and entrepreneurs as well as skills needed to enhance the ability of communities to transform themselves.

  • MARKETING

    CLEDA helps the brand, create, and market the region externally to recruit business and employees and internally to build regional identity.

  • REGIONAL INTELLIGENCE

    CLEDA conducts interviews with regional businesses and conducts or commissions other research to gain actionable intel about our region and opportunities.