Food Bank

Member of Feeding America

Living in Service to Others

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Christ Association Union - Rhodell and Alma Montgomery; Charlie Smith
Rhodell and Alma Montgomery; Charlie Smith

Bernice is a small town north of Ruston with a population of about 1,700. With almost 40% of the population there living in poverty, the need for food assistance is great. One of our community partners in Bernice is Christ Association Union. A group of caring individuals from the New Hopewell Baptist Church had been providing meals for shut-ins and special holiday meals for those in need, when four years ago, they decided to partner with the Food Bank of NELA to start offering a monthly grocery distribution.

Alma and Rhodell Montgomery along with Charlie Smith are the faces behind this wonderful pantry. All have retired from various careers and now lead a life of service to others. When they first started their food pantry, they served about 70 families. Now they say they provide food to about 180 families every month.

“We see a lot of children really in need,” said Alma, “it (the food pantry) really makes a big difference in our community.” Rhodell agreed and talked to us about many of the elderly in the community who just aren’t able to afford the nutritious meals they need.

According to Charlie, most people in Bernice know each other, but they may not realize the neighbors they see every day may be privately struggling to get enough to eat. “We’re here to help,” said Charlie. “My biggest enjoyment is when people come in to get a food bag and say ‘Oh thank you!’.”

We would like to thank you, our donors, for helping us provide the much needed food to programs like New Hopewell Baptist Church food pantry.   A gift of just $10 will provide 55 meals to people in need. Together, we can ensure that no one in Northeast Louisiana goes hungry!

Tallulah Hunger Heroes

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Volunteers serve the community through their work at the First SDA Tallulah pantry.

In 2017, the Food Bank of Northeast Louisiana distributed over 5 million pounds of food to people in need. This would not be possible without the partnership of more than 60 nonprofit organizations that operate food pantries, soup kitchens and meal programs all over the 12 Parish region we serve. We recently visited one of those community partners to help with their pantry distribution. First SDA Tallulah is located in Madison Parish, which has the second highest rate of food insecurity in Northeast Louisiana. About 28% of the population in Madison Parish is facing hunger, and agencies like First SDA Tallulah work tirelessly to meet the need. Their monthly food distribution serves around 200 households, giving much needed food to children, families and seniors.

Coordinator Sheila Love has been feeding people there for 8 years, and her dedication to this work is truly inspiring. Sheila loves to quote Paul Shane Spear: “As one person I cannot change the world, but I can change the world of one person”. When First SDA started the food program in Tallulah, they were giving out less than 50 bags a month. They saw a great need in the community and started doing more. “I give God all the praise for equipping our church with wonderful people that are willing to give their time, effort and sweat to help us every month,” Sheila said, “It’s not easy at all but I’m thankful to be able to serve others unselfishly.” Although there were lots of helping hands when we visited, they’re always in need of more volunteers. Please contact the Food Bank if you’d like to get involved.

As we handed out extra potatoes, eggs and rice, we got to see lots of smiling faces. Some were young, some old. Some strong, some fragile. But most of all we saw neighbors who needed a little help. And we were able to give, because you did. Our team left tired and sweaty, with hearts full of gratitude. So many of the people we saw expressed their thanks for the Food Bank, and we want to pass that on. Thank you to all who donate money, time and food to help our neighbors in need.

A Family Providing Hope

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There is something really special happening in a small building in Columbia, Louisiana. In 2001, Jim McKeithen and his daughter opened a food pantry there, with the collaboration of many local pastors and church members. Today, with the help of 14 Baptist churches and countless donors, Caldwell Baptist House of Hope is able to feed about 150 families every month.
Jim and his wife Gaye’s belief in the work they do is obvious. “People come here in their time of need, and we’re able to be there for them holistically with food and other support,” said Jim, “There’s no reason for anyone in Caldwell Parish to go without food,” he continued. “As a person, as a Christian, that’s what I’m called to do, to meet those needs” said Jim.
After more than 15 years of running the food pantry, Jim has plenty of stories to share. One of his favorites is about a woman he calls Granny. “She was 91 years old, and the classic grandma with a grey bun.” Jim said, “Granny was salty as a piece of salt pork!” he added. Jim told us about how Granny was raising 3 great grandchildren in her 2 bedroom trailer, and surviving on a monthly income of just $530. After a visit to House of Hope, she was able to get signed up to receive monthly food boxes and SNAP benefits.
“Times are tough but it always seems like everything is provided,” said Jim, “Thank you to those who donate”.
You can help provide food to our neighbors in need by making a donation. Every $10 helps us provide 55 meals!

Working Mom Grateful for Help

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“I really appreciate this program. It’s a blessing for me and my kids!”

As many families were busy preparing for the holidays, 34 year old Anntionette was trying to find some extra help for her family of seven after a fire destroyed their belongings and left them staying with relatives.

“My parents and grandmother help with the kids while I’m at work,” said Anntionette. “The kids eat a lot!”

Anntionette was already struggling to make ends meet on her income as a home health care worker. She has been going to the Food Bank partner agency Ray of Hope to help feed her growing children, but the fire has added extra expenses to her already thin-stretched budget. Not having to worry about food for her kids is a big relief.

“I really appreciate this program. It’s a blessing for me and my kids!” Anntionette said.
Thanks to your generous donations, the Food Bank is able to provide much needed food to families like Anntionette’s. With just $10, we can provide 55 meals to children, families and seniors in our community. Click here to make a donation today.

Gratitude from a Great Grandmother

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Caldwell House of Hope, located in Columbia, LA has been operating a community food pantry for 16 years.  On a hot summer morning in July, we met a wonderful woman named Mary at their pantry distribution.  Mary, a 76 year old great-grandmother who was born and raised in Caldwell Parish, has been coming to the food pantry for about two years.

Mary is a widow who lives on a fixed income from her husband’s social security check. She said that now that she is older, it’s really hard to make ends meet with her high medical expenses. “I may spend $200 on my medicines next week”, she told us.

The food she receives from the House of Hope pantry has been a huge help to Mary. She mentioned that she especially likes to receive the canned goods, and uses them to cook meals for herself throughout the month. She also finds fellowship within the walls of House of Hope, and enjoys socializing with others from the community while she is there. When we asked Mary what she would like to say to the people who support the Food Bank, she enthusiastically replied “I’d like to give a big thank you from me and everyone who participates, because it really helps!!”

To help us keep the pantry shelves stocked, you can make a donation online by clicking here.