DENHAM SPRINGS - First Tuesday is turning four years old and marking the milestone by expanding into Denham Springs and continuing to engage the next generation of volunteers.

The organization, which brings businesses, volunteers and nonprofits together to serve the community, is set to hold its September service day on Sept. 1. Nearly 200 volunteers are expected to serve across Greater Baton Rouge and Denham Springs.

Since launching in September 2022, 3,912 volunteers have contributed 24,862 hours of service, creating an estimated $770,000 in community impact.

"Four years ago, we really didn't know where this would go. We simply believed there was an opportunity to make it easier for businesses and their employees to step away from work and invest a day back into their community," Stuart Gilly, founder of First Tuesday, said.

Sept. 1 will mark the official launch of First Tuesday's second location in Denham Springs. Volunteers will gather for breakfast at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church before serving at Launch Therapy Center.

The Denham Springs expansion was championed by Todd Pettavino of Precision Structured Cabling, a First Tuesday supporter since the beginning who saw an opportunity to bring the model into his own community.

"It's about people within a community bringing their neighbors together and asking, 'How can we serve?'" Gilly said.

The September celebration will also include the First Tuesday Club at University Laboratory School, where students are organizing a school-wide food drive benefiting the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank.

The First Tuesday Club at U-High was created to give students opportunities to lead and serve while bringing the First Tuesday model into their school community.