Copyright Baton Rouge Advocate
The 24 Hour Citizen Project will be hosting its project pitches Saturday. Check out which projects are on the table this year. The program aims to connect people with community-focused ideas with stakeholders and experts to make those ideas a reality. Last year's ideas ranged from bringing a simple toiletry pantry to training doulas for the state that lacked them. Here are 2025 possible projects: Team Kitten and Puppy University The idea behind KPU is simple: Get more Lafayette shelter animals into loving homes. This project will create a mobile, purpose-built diorama to house kittens and puppies at local events temporarily. The team at meowWOOF also aims to inform people about pet ownership and answer questions about animal care. The dioramas will be able to visit businesses, schools, and community meetings. Team Safe Steps The team behind Safe Steps is looking to transform the crosswalk at University Avenue and Versailles into something of beauty while increasing safety and visibility for Lafayette Middle School students. As it stands, the unassuming crosswalk sits at a busy intersection, leaving students and pedestrians vulnerable. The team plans to introduce a bold, art-filled mural at this crossing to slow vehicular traffic, enhance driver awareness, and create a safer, more welcoming passage for children walking or biking to school. Team Global Bites Lafayette isn't lacking in food or culture. The team at Global Bites wants to continue showcasing the food of Lafayette's ethnic communities with a festival. The goal is to bring together eight to 12 communities, ranging from Lafayette's Lebanese and Persian communities to its Lao residents, under one tent in collaboration with Festival International. It would have cultural street foods, with each community having one to two items at $1-$13. All money raised from food sales would go to the community or their organization to strengthen them and help them build a budget to do more throughout the year. Team Lafayette Kid News Lafayette's children also deserve to be informed, according to Lafayette Kids News. This project will create a quarterly newspaper for children ages 7-12. This newspaper will provide a fun and creative platform where children can share their voices, showcase their talents, and contribute to their community. Sections include the Kid of the Quarter, puzzles, games, jokes, trivia, local sports and arts, local history, an art gallery, and a calendar of kid-friendly events. The outlet would allow children to publish their own written and visual work, while highlighting the achievements of local kids. Team Festival de Fit Fete Lafayette knows how to party. How about merging the party with fitness? The team at Festival de Fit Fete recognized that Louisiana ranks high in obesity, blood pressure, and preventable health issues. They hope to combine our festival tradition with a healthy lifestyle. The event would begin with a 5k run before ending at a mainstage for a workout that feels like a party. It would also host fun fitness events with prizes, a Kids' Zone with obstacles and games for the little ones, and a section for older adults to be involved. Free health screenings and nutrition information would also be available. Now it wouldn't be a festival without food, but Festival de Fit Fete will twist that with a Healthy Cajun-Creole Cook-Off. Team Certify Teens We need our youth to be ready for the future job market. The team at Certify Teens is looking to make that process more accessible through a Teen Cert Day. The event would help teenagers earn certifications in CPR, food safety, and leadership, with the goal of developing usable skills. It brings resources directly into communities by partnering with established youth programs, schools, and local organizations that already serve teens. Team F.O.O.D. Lafayette has tried its hand and has slowly built up a mutual aid food network for the community. The team at Feeding Others: Outreach and Distribution, or F.O.O.D., is an organization of volunteers driven to reduce food waste and improve access to food. The team will use community engagement, education, and empowerment to develop and sustain a food pantry and fridges throughout Acadiana, distributing surplus food to locations. The organization was created two years ago, has partnered with the Lafayette Community Fridge, and is now looking to expand its reach, with donations far exceeding capacity. Team 64 Squares of Lagniappe We've all seen movies with people playing chess in New York's Central Park. The team at 64 Squares of Laginappe is looking to bring that same atmosphere to Lafayette's downtown. The Downtown Lafayette Chess Tables Project is looking to install one to two outdoor chess tables at key park locations, serving as free, year-round gathering spots for players of all ages.
