Feed the Second Line

“The Form 990 is provided to the Board of Directors for review and approval prior to filing.”

“Documents are available upon written request.”

“Program- Get Lit Stay Lit Consulting Fees 19,100 Young Keepers of the Culture Contract Labor 600 Management and General- Contract Labor 12,940 Consulting Fees 1,500 Fundraising- Grant Consultant Monthly Retainer 50,880”

“In 2024, Feed the Second Line created over 150 gig work opportunities for culture bearers through large-scale cultural events and recurring programming. Our annual For the Love of Culture Fest generated paid work for performers, musicians, dancers, and tradition keepers while bringing families together to celebrate culture. Our Carnival Kickoff expanded employment during the most significant cultural season of the year, providing paid roles for Baby Dolls, musicians, and Indian tribes. Culture bearers were also hired to perform and support our Juneteenth Celebration, where they led music, dance, cultural demonstrations, and community engagement activities. This event offered paid opportunities for performers and educators while strengthening community pride and participation. In addition, Feed the Second Line hosted Culture Love Nights, a recurring cultural event series designed to create steady work for culture bearers while supporting small businesses. These events were intentionally held at one of our Stay Lit resilience hubs to drive customers to a locally owned restaurant during its slow season. The series provided paid gigs, increased visibility for participating artists, and generated needed revenue for a community-based business. Throughout the year, culture bearers were hired to perform, teach workshops, support community events, mentor youth, and represent New Orleans culture at public gatherings. Through these efforts, Hire the Second Line strengthened the cultural economy, supported culture bearers and their families, and helped preserve the traditions that make New Orleans unique. Feed the Second Line provides culture support to help culture bearers and New Orleans families remain stable, continue their cultural practices, and stay connected to community. This support includes financial assistance, cultural materials, emergency help, and access to our cultural hub. Every program we offer creates paid opportunities for culture bearers, ensuring they are supported while they support the community. In 2024, Feed the Second Line assisted culture bearers and families with rent, utilities, food support, funeral assistance, and materials needed for regalia and cultural work. Culture bearers also used our building for sewing, rehearsals, planning, meetings, and preparing for cultural events. The space serves as a reliable location where they can gather, create, and prepare for the cultural obligations that keep New Orleans traditions strong. We also partner with cultural groups throughout the year to sponsor bands for their parades, helping reduce financial barriers so these groups can continue participating in second lines and community celebrations without taking on the full cost themselves. Our community giveaways strengthen families across the city. Through our annual Turkey Giveaway, we provided 200 turkeys to households in New Orleans. Our Toy Giveaway reached over 1,000 children in the greater New Orleans area. These events helped families experience joy and relief during the holiday season and supported households facing financial pressure. In every program and event, Feed the Second Line hires culture bearers to lead activities, distribute resources, support families, and share cultural knowledge. This approach provides immediate community support while creating consistent income for the people who keep the culture alive. Culture Support remains one of Feed the Second Lines central pillars. It stabilizes families, preserves cultural traditions, and strengthens the cultural fabric of New Orleans year-round.”

“During these interruptions, multiple Stay Lit hubs activated for up to two hours at a time, providing cooling, charging, and community support until power was restored. These short activations helped maintain food safety, prevent business disruptions, and provide immediate relief to residents. During Hurricane Francine, when the city faced a 72-hour outage, four of the eight hubs were fully activated in ZIP Codes 70126, 70119, 70125, and 70113. These sites provided cooling, device charging, restrooms, bottled water, and community support, with two locations also offering hot meals. More than 1,000 residents received assistance across the three-day activation. To reach neighborhoods without a hub, mobile teams delivered bottled water and ice to households in ZIP Codes 70127, 70128, 70129, 70122, and 70113. Feed the Second Line also coordinated over 20 emergency transportation trips for elders, families, and medically vulnerable residents who needed access to cooling centers. The organization engaged six culture bearers in paid emergency roles to support supply distribution, transportation logistics, and neighborhood outreach. These roles provided critical income while reinforcing the trusted leadership of culture bearers during emergencies. Solar systems at partner restaurants prevented an estimated 18,000 in food spoilage, enabling quicker reopening and reducing economic loss after the storm. Get Lit Stay Lit demonstrates the power of community-led disaster response by reducing heat risk, preserving food resources, stabilizing small businesses, and offering hands-on workforce experience in solar resilience. The initiative continues to build and strengthen a citywide network of hubs that help safeguard New Orleans residents year-round.”

“Through this program, we also hire culture bearers to speak with the children and provide authentic cultural storytelling, ensuring youth learn accurate history and lived experiences directly from the tradition keepers themselves. This creates paid opportunities for culture bearers and deepens cultural understanding for the students. The program also continued our established Second Line Education Program, which teaches children the history, purpose, and structure of second lines-from Social Aid Pleasure Club traditions to music, dance, and community etiquette. Students learn how these traditions represent joy, resilience, community care, and collective unity. YKC students performed at multiple major community events throughout the year, including our annual For the Love of Culture Fest and our Juneteenth Celebration. These performances gave youth the opportunity to showcase what they learned through dance, movement, storytelling, and cultural presentations. Their participation highlighted the important role youth play in preserving and celebrating New Orleans culture, while creating meaningful moments for families and the community. The years work also culminated in a youth-led second line parade that brought families, culture bearers, and children together. This event allowed students to demonstrate their learning, express themselves creatively, and participate in a tradition they had studied-supported by the culture bearers who guide them. It strengthened family engagement and created a joyful environment where parents, guardians, and neighbors could celebrate the childrens growth. YKC continues to provide a safe, inclusive, and culturally rich environment where youth can build leadership skills, explore creativity, strengthen literacy, and engage with New Orleans culture. Through this work, Feed the Second Line is cultivating young leaders who will help carry the citys traditions forward.”