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Break out your pots and your paddles and get ready to go to battle for gumbo supremacy at this year's Battle of the Gumbo Gladiators for Shreveport LA's Volunteers for Youth Justice!

What is Volunteers for Youth Justice?

If you're not familiar with Volunteers for Youth Justice, they exist to help our children locally through a myriad of programs! As a former TBRI (Trust-Based Relational Intervention) Advocate, I can personally attest to what Volunteers for Youth Justice do for our community. From advocates like myself working with foster families to providing CASA, Court Appointed Special Advocates, TASC (Truancy Assessment Service Center) and facilitating youth programs, like JumpStart, Gems and Gents Youth Mentoring, and more, every dime raised for this organization is helping children right here in our area!

How many kids do Volunteers for Youth Justice help?

Last year, VYJ was able to provide services for over 4,500 children in our area! I can't imagine what our community would be like without Volunteers for Youth Justice. That's why their annual fundraiser, the Battle of the Gumbo Gladiators, is so important! Plus, you can always have a good time while supporting our community, which is always a bonus in my book!

How can I support Volunteers for Youth Justice?

It's time to give your taste buds what they crave! Battle of the Gumbo Gladiators is going down Saturday, March 11, 2023, at Shreveport's Festival Plaza downtown. Admission is $1 (children 12 and under are free) and the gates open at 12 pm with the awards ceremony at 4 pm. Gumbo samples are $2 each.

Prizes will be awarded to the top three in the following categories: chicken, seafood, lagniappe, and 'Gladiator of the People.' The winning teams will get $500 and best of all, bragging rights! Registration is open through February 24, 2023, and you can register your team by clicking here.

All proceeds from the event support the work of Volunteers for Youth Justice, a nonprofit organization, that provides a community caring for children, youth, and families in crisis. Learn more at www.vyjla.org.

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