Fresh Central is part of the Central Louisiana Local Food Initiative, a community effort that aims to strengthen Central Louisiana’s local food economy while increasing access to local food 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.