Food Bank

Member of Feeding America

Medicine or Food?

by

We met 76 year old Janie at a food distribution in Farmerville. Janie is recovering from a broken shoulder. She’s already on a fixed income, so with the an extra $200 per month in co-pays for treatment and medicine, her budget is really tight.

“I am having to choose between paying the co-pay on my medications or paying for food,” she said.

And for Janie, that decision is often to pay for her medicine. So, she visits a food pantry in Farmerville, which works with the Food Bank of Northeast Louisiana, a member of the Feeding America network.

“If it weren’t for this, I’d be eating beans and potatoes,” she said. “It helps a lot.”

Your support helps us provide food to our neighbors like Janie who struggle to make ends meet. Get involved today by donating funds, giving food, or volunteering.

Read more recent articles:

Just One Accident Away

by

We met 68 year old Brenda at a food distribution at one of our Community Partners in Farmerville. In 2009, Brenda got into a car accident and had to have spinal surgery. Since then, she’s been disabled and has been using her retirement savings to pay medical bills.

“I worked all my life,” she said. “I never thought I’d be in poverty.”

But because of the accident, that’s exactly where she finds herself. She gets about $15 per month in SNAP benefits, but that’s not nearly enough to help her make ends meet each month. So she visits a food pantry in Farmerville.

“Some of what I get here I can’t buy. I get a lot of food that I really need that I wouldn’t be able to afford,” she said.

Because of the food she gets from the pantry, which works with the Food Bank of Northeast Louisiana, a member of the Feeding America network, she doesn’t have to make difficult decisions between food and her medication.

“I have about 10 medications I’m on because of my back injury,” she said. “When I run out, I wonder if I’m going to have enough money to just pay for those let alone for food.”

While Brenda continues to deal with the repercussions of her injury, she knows she will have enough to eat. And that’s because of the Food Bank.

“Without the food bank and the pantry, I’d be going hungry.”

Many of us are just one accident or life event away from needing help, and thanks to the support of our community, the Food Bank is able to be there for those going through difficult times.

Thank you for helping to provide food to our neighbors like Brenda! Your generosity is greatly appreciated.

Donate. Volunteer. Give Food.

Need help with food? Click here to find the food pantry closest to you, or call us at 318-322-3567.

Meet Wayne

by

Food Bank pantry client Wayne

“It means being able to eat, thank you!”

Everyone at Grace Place Ministries knows Wayne. He’s been coming there since they started providing food to people in the neighborhood in 2006. When we met Wayne, he was picking up some groceries from the food pantry, and enjoying a half gallon of cold, fresh milk. He lives a few streets over, in a house that caught fire over 15 years ago. The only “home-cooked” hot meals Wayne eats are the meals made at the Grace Place Soup Kitchen. Thanks to their Client Choice Food Pantry, he can also get groceries that he is able to prepare, such as soups and meals in a can and fresh produce. “It means being able to eat,” said Wayne. “Thank you!”

Your generous donations help the Food Bank stock pantry shelves at over 60 community partners like Grace Place.

Click here to donate now

Finding Grace

by

The Food Bank has over 60 community partners and programs that help us feed thousands of people every week. One of those partners is Grace Place Ministries in Monroe. Founded in 2001 by Rhonda Grace, the organization was originally a women’s ministry. As time went on and Rhonda became more involved in serving the neighborhood, she says “The Lord said “Feed the people,” so she started a soup kitchen in 2006. When they first began serving meals three days a week, they would have a maximum of 50 people for lunch. Now, the Grace Place Soup Kitchen has grown to serve about 300 people on an average day, or about 3,200 meals each month.

Grace Place Pantry Volunteers
“None of this could be possible without the people who give to the Food Bank.” – Misty

Grace Place also opened a food pantry, offering groceries from the Food Bank to their clients. About 150 families receive grocery assistance every month, which includes pantry staples, meat, dairy, and fresh produce. Rhonda says it means so much to her “knowing we are making a difference with hot meals and food.”

Although Rhonda now works mostly behind the scenes, the food ministry continues to run smoothly thanks to staff like Misty Loe, Andrea McDonald, and Ann Culvertson. These ladies ensure that the pantry is ready when the clients walk in the door, handle all of the intake paperwork, and offer love and support to those they serve. They recently changed their pantry to a “Client Choice” model, where people can take what they need, and leave the rest. “It feels good knowing that we’re giving food to people that they can cook and enjoy,” said Misty, “It gives people a sense of dignity, like they’re going to the grocery store.”

One can’t help but feel the immense love and care being served along with the food at Grace Place. While sometimes feeding everyone in need can seem an impossible task, Rhonda says “Take the one in front of you and love that one.” And love is certainly in the hearts of those who serve here. “By the Grace of God, we’re not all in that line,” said Misty, “None of this could be possible without the people who give to the Food Bank.”

Thank you to all who donate money, food, and time to the Food Bank. Your generosity fuels the distribution of over 5 million pounds of food to people facing hunger, through our programs and community partners like Grace Place.

Click here to make an online donation

Feeding America CEO Visit Food Bank of Northeast Louisiana

by

Food Bank board members and staff pose for a photo with new Feeding America CEO Claire Babineaux-Fontenot
Food Bank board members and staff pose for a photo with new Feeding America CEO Claire Babineaux-Fontenot

The Food Bank of Northeast Louisiana received a special visit last week from the new Chief Executive Officer of Feeding America, the nation’s largest domestic hunger relief organization. Claire Babineaux-Fontenot, a Louisiana native, was recently appointed to head the non-profit network of 200 Food Banks and 60,000 food pantries and meal programs.

Before relocating to the Feeding America national office in Chicago, Babineaux-Fontenot spent some time touring the five Food Banks located in Louisiana. One of those stops was at The Food Bank of Northeast Louisiana, which is headquartered in Monroe, and serves the entire Northeast region of the state.

Feeding America CEO Claire Babineaux-Fontenot talks with Food Bank volunteer Maddox Lee during a BackPacks for Kids packing activity
Feeding America CEO Claire Babineaux-Fontenot talks with Food Bank volunteer Maddox Lee during a BackPacks for Kids packing activity

“The Food Bank Board and staff were delighted to meet Claire,” said Jean Toth, Executive Director of the Food Bank of Northeast Louisiana. “We shared the needs that we are addressing in our corner of the state as well as highlighting the tremendous support of our partners and the community.”

Feeding America CEO Claire Babineaux-Fontenot meets with Claire White and George Standifer at Food Bank community partner agency The Zone
Feeding America CEO Claire Babineaux-Fontenot meets with Claire White and George Standifer at Food Bank community partner agency The Zone

Along with visiting the Food Bank of NELA’s facility, Babineaux-Fontenot accompanied Toth to one of the Food Bank’s community partner distributions. “The Zone” food pantry operated by Rays of Sonshine is one of the 60 community partners the Food Bank of NELA supplies with food, some of which comes from national donations made to Feeding America. The Food Bank serves 24,000 individuals monthly through their network of partners and direct distribution programs.

“It was deeply inspiring to see all the good work that Feeding America network food banks do to provide meals to people who need them, in Monroe and across the state,” said Claire Babineaux-Fontenot. “The staff and volunteers at the Food Bank of Northeast Louisiana, and their food pantries and meal programs, provide an essential service to their neighbors in need.”

This visit is particularly important and invaluable for Food Banks in Louisiana as the state has some of the worst hunger statistics in the country. In fact, Louisiana has the highest rate of food insecurity among senior citizens, and is ranked fourth highest in child food insecurity. Right here in Northeast Louisiana, one in five people are food insecure, and 1 in 4 children also face hunger.

The Food Bank of Northeast Louisiana is a proud member of the Feeding America network, and relies on local community support to provide food to children, families and seniors in the twelve parish region they serve. Monetary contributions are always needed, and with $10, the Food Bank is able to provide 55 meals to people facing hunger. Community members can also get involved by donating food or volunteering.

Food Bank board members and staff meet with Feeding America CEO Claire Babineaux-Fontenot
Food Bank board members and staff meet with Feeding America CEO Claire Babineaux-Fontenot

 

About The Food Bank of Northeast Louisiana

The Food Bank of Northeast Louisiana is a charitable, not-for-profit organization that solicits, stores, and distributes food to partner agencies, children and seniors in 12 Parishes in Northeast Louisiana. Together, as a hunger-relief network we serve over 24,000 people monthly. The Food Bank of Northeast Louisiana is a member of Feeding America and a United Way Partner Agency. To learn more about how you can help, please visit www.foodbanknela.org. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Google+.