Community Involvement
Dog Days of Summer
We're joining WBRZ's Chief Meterologist, Josh Euchus, and Friends of the Animals Baton Rouge to bring help to some furry friends in our area. Each day, special dogs in need of a home will be featured on WBRZ for adoption through FOTABR. If adding a pet to your family is not ideal at this time, you can still help!
You can get involved by:
- Tuning in to WBRZ for featured dogs
- Adopt a dog at the Friends of the Animals Baton Rouge Dog Adoption House
- Donate funds directly to FOTABR
- Donate dog items at any Essential branch through August 26
Items in need include:
- 33 gallon garbage bags
- 13 gallon garbage bags
- Paper towels
- Clorox wipes
- Cedar O mop heads
- Dog Items
- Science Puppy wet food
- Dog beds - all sizes
- Puppy chew rings
- Dog toys
- Blankets
Brandi's Book Drive
Reading is essential and it's important that every child have access to books to encourage reading and learning. During the summer, Essential partnered with WBRZ's Brandi Harris to collect new and gently used books for children, grades K-8, in the Greater Baton Rouge area. The community was invited to drop off books at any Essential branch. Essential also hosted a Drive-thru Drop-off event at its Towne Center Operations Center. The event collected hundreds of books and all donors received swag bags and free frozen yogurt. In all, over 12,000 books were collected for local children!
Arts Council of GBR MPAC
January 20, 2022, Essential sponsored of the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge’s MPAC and the Cary Saurage Community Arts Center grand opening. It was a wonderful event at a truly unique community art space. Learn more about this new 12,000 square foot creative space by visiting www.artsbr.org/cscac.
Sylvia's Toys for Christmas
For the second year, Essential sponsored Sylvia's Toys for Christmas to help Santa reach every kid possible. Members, employees and others from the community dropped toys off at Essential Branches as well as the special Drive-Thru Toy Drive event Essential hosted at it's Operations Center.
The hundreds of toys collected were sorted by age and gender, then wrapped and distributed by Saint Vincent de Paul to children in our community.
Monetary funds are collected year-round and go directly to Saint Vincent de Paul.
Lift Up Louisiana
Essential partnered with WAFB to Lift Up Louisiana and helped restore the community after Hurricane Ida.
Here's how we helped:
- Hosted a blood drive
- Collected non-perishable food items at all branch locations
- Highlighted ways to donate to the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank within the branches and online
During devastating times, you can count on Essential to come together to help our community.