When Addie Hester, a retired educator and proud Baton Rouge grandmother, first stumbled upon the Geaux Get Healthy Clinical Program at Our Lady of the Lake, she wasn’t looking for a miracle. She was looking for something practical. Something local. Something that could help her feel better in her own skin and on her own terms.
“I had just retired,” she recalls, “and I was really starting to prioritize myself for the first time in a long time. I heard about the program at a health expo at Pennington Biomedical, took a brochure home, and when I found out it was less than five miles from where I live — well, I saw that as a sign.”
For Addie, what started as a simple curiosity quickly became a cornerstone of her wellness journey. Geaux Get Healthy was not only convenient. It was transformative in community, ease of understanding and practical support.
Now, as Geaux Get Healthy celebrates its fifth anniversary on June 28, Addie is one of many voices testifying to the program’s impact across Baton Rouge.
Changing the Narrative on Health
Geaux Get Healthy’s roots trace back to the vision of Tiffany Ardoin, MD, FACP, internal medicine physician at Our Lady of the Lake and director of Geaux Get Healthy. The idea was born during her residency when she became increasingly frustrated that many of her patients weren’t following the nutritional advice she gave them.
“I was very naive and realized that a lot of it had to do with a lack of nutrition education and also food insecurity,” Dr. Ardoin says.
What started as a question — why aren’t my patients eating better? — soon became a mission. In collaboration with organizations like HealthyBR, the American Heart Association and Our Lady of the Lake Health, Dr. Ardoin helped launch Geaux Get Healthy in 2020 with the goal of addressing food insecurity and nutrition education.
“This was an opportunity to provide more structure, to meet people where they are, and to promote healthy eating in a way that makes it feel achievable,” she says.
For many residents of Baton Rouge, especially those living in food deserts or food swamps, healthy eating can seem out of reach. By showing people how to make small, manageable changes, Geaux Get Healthy has turned a daunting task into something doable for hundreds of program participants.
“People think that if they can’t do everything, they shouldn’t do anything,” Dr. Ardoin says. “But very small changes in nutrition can have huge health benefits.”
That’s why the program doesn’t just teach from a whiteboard. It brings lessons to life through hands-on cooking classes and guided grocery store tours at partner locations like Sprouts Farmers Market and select Dollar General stores with fresh produce sections.
Participants like Addie learn simple but powerful strategies for health: buying fresh fruit in season, adding vegetables to traditional dishes, checking weekly ads for sales and making easy ingredient switches to healthier choices.
“It wasn’t some lecture or diet plan where you had to buy special food or sign up for a subscription,” Addie says. “It was practical. It was real. I learned how to shop smarter, cook better and make the most of what’s in season — without breaking the bank.”
Real People, Real Connections
One of the most powerful aspects of the program, Addie says, is the people leading it.
“The way they teach, it’s like a conversation. It’s not highfalutin or formal. You feel like you’re being talked with, not talked at,” she says. “They were relatable to me and to everyone else in the room.”
That cultural connection mattered. It wasn’t just about what to eat; it was about how to integrate healthier choices into lifelong habits, family recipes and busy lives.
“Our outreach coordinators walk people through the store and teach them to read labels, shop the perimeter, and make affordable swaps,” Dr. Ardoin explains. “They do an amazing job of making it fun, approachable and empowering.”
Addie participated in the program not once, but twice — first in 2023 and again the following year. And if she can join again, she says, she absolutely will.
“As a former teacher, I know behavior change doesn’t happen in one go,” she says. “You have to keep coming back. That second time around was just as valuable as the first.”
Pay It Forward
Addie didn’t just keep the benefits of Geaux Get Healthy to herself. She shares it to as many people as she can. Through her AARP chapter, community networks and personal conversations with friends and neighbors, she’s become one of the program’s biggest advocates.
“I tell people everywhere I go,” she says. “This program is free, it’s local and it works.”
She’s even planning to bring program leaders to her AARP chapter meetings this fall to speak with members and continue spreading the word — especially among older adults who could benefit the most.
“My friends and I, we talk about our health a lot,” she says. “It helps to know there are things we can do. Small steps. Together.”
The Bigger Picture
More than a health class, Geaux Get Healthy is about empowerment. It’s about breaking cycles of food insecurity and chronic disease by equipping people with tools they can actually use. It’s about building relationships and transforming neighborhoods — one healthy habit at a time.
In partnership with the larger coalition, Geaux Get Healthy, Healthy BR and their community partners have:
- Distributed more than 499,000 pounds of fresh produce
- Reached more than 89,900 community members with free nutrition education
- Enrolled 770 participants in hands-on cooking classes and grocery store tours
“Why not take advantage of it?” she says. “There’s nothing to lose and everything to gain — your health, your energy, your community. I’m living proof.”
Celebrating Five Years of Impact
What started as a simple idea born out of frustration marks its five-year anniversary this year. For Dr. Ardoin, it’s a moment to reflect on how far the program has come and the lives it continues to touch.
“The anniversary celebration is a testament to our program success and ongoing commitment to improving community health,” Dr. Ardoin says. “Getting a program like this off the ground was very challenging, and to grow it into what it is now has been probably the biggest achievement of my lifetime.
“It’s a very good feeling to be able to celebrate this milestone and look back and acknowledge all the people who have made this possible over the years and to remember all the lives impacted by this work.”
The anniversary celebration will be held June 28 at Our Lady of the Lake’s LSU Health Baton Rouge North Clinic and will showcase the stories, resources and successes that have defined the program since its launch. The event will include cooking demos, health screenings, nutrition tips, giveaways and opportunities to sign up for the program.
For Addie, it’s a no-brainer.
“Oh, it’s on my calendar,” she says. “I saw them talking about it on TV the other day and said, ‘Yep — I’m going.’ I hope everybody shows up because this program is too good to stay a secret.”
Learn more about the Geaux Get Healthy Clinical Program at Our Lady of the Lake and other weight and nutrition services offered across our health system
