Second Harvest Food Bank Feeding South Louisiana

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Lafayette fared well enough in a COVID-19 affected economy in 2021, recovering half of jobs that were lost here the previous year and creating

Because some of Southwest Louisianas hungry live outside the easy sight of most Louisianians, their need is not always widely known to others. Hurricane Laura in August 2020 and Hurricane Delta in October 2020 both affected mostly the southwestern corner of the state. Hurricane Ida, which battered southern Louisiana in August 2021, inflicted substantial damage on coastal areas like Port Fourchon, Lafourche and Terrebonne parishes, far from major roadways.

Through the pandemic and during the hurricanes and their aftermaths, Second Harvest partnered with other food pantries and agencies like St. Joseph Diner in Lafayette to prepare and distribute meals. But the partnership with the diner will end in February, as the diner returns to serving meals to the hungry directly in downtown Lafayette. Partnerships with other agencies and food pantries will form or continue.

Scelfo said new programs will also address the needs of the hungry. They will include a farmers initiative program through which Second Harvest will identify local farmers, some low-income, and form partnerships with them to grow produce as cash crops. The farmers will help the farmers establish and improve their farms. In return, the farmers will sell food to Second Harvest, who will distribute it, mostly through their affiliated food banks.

Second Harvest Food Bank Doubles Food Donation

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LULING, La. People across south Louisiana are reaching out for food and meal donations in numbers higher than ever before.

And thats been going on for nearly two years now.

There are a few reasons why the need is so great.

At Second Harvest Food Banks kitchen, its busier than ever. Start with jobs lost during a pandemic, throw in four major hurricanes in south Louisiana, then mix in the soaring prices at the grocery store, and you have one continuous 21-month-long disaster.

Definitely an uptick, and then our shortage in our demand on getting supplies. So, the need for these meals and the need for what were doing, has definitely been increasing, said Matthew Taylor, the Executive Chef at Second Harvest Food Bank.

Pre-COVID, Second Harvest sent 40 million pounds of food to people in need in 23 parishes, but since March of last year, theyve doubled that month after month.

Food donations are coming in, but right after the pandemic began, for the first time in its 40-year history, shelves were nearly empty. The National Guard came in to help and are still serving today.

It troubles me that we cant get to everybody. There are people who we dont meet and people who fall through the cracks, said Jay Vise, Director of Communications and Marketing at Second Harvest.

This week, Vise was in Dulac serving meals. He met some people whose homes were taken by Hurricane Ida, people who now depend on Second Harvest for a meal.

Second Harvest Food Bank Get $25k

Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans & Acadiana announced last week that it received a $25,000 grant from the Morgan Stanley Foundation to expand food choices.

This approach offers families, children, communities of color and rural communities across south Louisiana increased choice among available foods or food boxes at Second Harvest partner agencies or program sites, providing healthy options and ensuring access to foods aligned with preferences and dietary requirements.

Now in its second year, this national grant is focused on increasing access to a variety of nutritious foods by addressing barriers that families face in their communities and enhancing their experience through choice.

The funds will give Second Harvest Food Bank a chance to explore increasing choice in food distribution models in south Louisiana while maintaining COVID-19 health and safety protocols, a spokesperson said.

Since the start of the pandemic, food insecurity has significantly affected families with children, especially those in rural communities and communities of color. One in 5 people, including 1 in 4 children, face hunger in south Louisiana. Second Harvest, a member of the Feeding America network, is one of several member food banks receiving this funding from the Morgan Stanley Foundation.

Second Harvest President and CEO Natalie Jayroe said this gift will help the School Pantry Program expand choice to best serve children and their families.

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Feeding The Hungry: Each Month Second Harvest Food Bank Distributes 39 Million Pounds Of Food Across South La

By Doris Maricle

Volunteers from Second Harvest Food Bank of Acadiana distribute food to residents during food distribution for Southwest Louisiana. With warehouses in New Orleans and Lafayette, Second Harvest distributes more than 39 million pounds of food and groceries to 700-plus partners and programs across South Louisiana, reaching at least 100,000 people each month.

One in five households in Louisiana experience food security, but Second Harvest Food Bank is working to come up with ways to provide better access to affordable and nutritious food for those in need.

In Southwest Louisiana, Jeff Davis Parish had the highest rate with 18.6 percent of the population being food insecure or highly vulnerable to food insecurity in 2020, according to the latest data provided by Second Harvest.

In Calcasieu Parish, 17.8 percent of the residents did not have reliable access to affordable and nutritious food with 17.3 percent considered to be food insecure in Beauregard Parish. Cameron Parish had the lowest rate of food insecurity at 13.7 percent.

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Scelfo said those the hungry in the Southwest Louisiana region represent about 25% of the population 1 in 4 families 1 in 3 children is food-insecure. Those numbers people fed by Second Harvest swelled to about 900,000 people between March 2020, which was the start of the pandemic, and March 2021. About 28 million meals were served in 2020 in the western parishes.

Scelfo said food was served through ongoing programs that included mass distribution for emergency responses. That meant distributing mostly shelf-stable food to a lot of people in long lines.

We served them on a regular basis through food insecure situations, he said. Food-insecure people, he said, miss about 170 meals per year. They routinely have to choose between buying food and buying medicine or buying food and paying rent. One in four seniors choose between food, utilities and medicine, according to Second Harvest data.

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Are You An Executive Hr Leader Or Brand Manager At Second Harvest Food Bank Of Greater New Orleans And Acadiana

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• Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans and Acadiana

Zippia gives an in-depth look into the details of Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans and Acadiana, including salaries, political affiliations, employee data, and more, in order to inform job seekers about Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans and Acadiana. The employee data is based on information from people who have self-reported their past or current employments at Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans and Acadiana. The data on this page is also based on data sources collected from public and open data sources on the Internet and other locations, as well as proprietary data we licensed from other companies. Sources of data may include, but are not limited to, the BLS, company filings, estimates based on those filings, H1B filings, and other public and private datasets. While we have made attempts to ensure that the information displayed are correct, Zippia is not responsible for any errors or omissions or for the results obtained from the use of this information. None of the information on this page has been provided or approved by Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans and Acadiana. The data presented on this page does not represent the view of Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans and Acadiana and its employees or that of Zippia.

User Questions And Answers

Answer a question below ONLY IF you know the answerHow do I volunteer?Do you know if I can get food delivered to me?Do I need to make an appointment?How do I make a donation?Can I do my community service hours at this location?Do you help with vouchers for Hotels?What type of documentation do I need to apply for food?

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This Is A Community Effort

Being able to provide millions of meals throughout the year is no small feat and it is impossible without the help of the community. Second Harvest is always in need of volunteers and donations, especially now as they prepare for hurricane season across the state.

Related:What should you do to prepare your business for hurricane season?

We are always looking for people who want to help, Curley says excitedly. We have a volunteer activity every weekday, Thursdays are reserved for large groups. We have groups of volunteers in here from all different walks of life, helping us sort and repack donations.

Volunteers work in three-hour shifts where on average they are able to prepare 240 weeks worth of food. This food not only helps those regularly affected by lack of food but those displaced by floods, hurricanes, fire, domestic abuse, and more.

Monetary donations are also extremely useful, most people will never experience poverty or food insecurity. According to their website, 97 cents of every dollar donated goes directly to programs that feed the hungry. One dollar is able to provide four meals through the food bank. They also accept donations of food, diapers, formula, and more.

If you are in need of assistance you can visit no-hunger.org/foodassistance to find the program or pantry nearest you. You can also visit Second Harvest at 215 East Pinhook Rd. in Lafayette for immediate assistance. If you wantto donate or volunteer visit no-hunger.org/ways-give

Loyola University New Orleans

Second Harvest Food Bank leads the fight against hunger in South Louisiana by providing food access,advocacy, education, and disaster response. Second Harvest provides food and support to 700+community partners and programs across 23 parishes. Our staff and volunteers distribute theequivalent of more than 32 million meals to 210,000+ people a year.

WHAT YOU DO

Volunteers will assist in the Community Kitchen, helping produce thousands of meals a week fordisaster survivors, senior citizens, and after-school Kids Cafe & Summer Feeding programs.They will assist with meal preparation, packaging meals, creating kids snacks and other kitchenduties as needed. Volunteers will also assist in our warehouse doing repack and food sorting.They will inspect, sort, and repack food and grocery products. Some volunteers load food productonto conveyor belts, some inspect and sort products into itemized categories, and others repackfood items into Second Harvest boxes.

WHAT YOU LEARN

Students will gain insight into the food distribution process. They will also learn how important theirrole as a volunteer is at Second Harvest, as we wouldnt be able to produce the thousands of mealseach week for disaster survivors, senior citizens, and after-school Kids Cafe & Summer Feedingprograms without their hard work and dedication.

• Other staff members at our agency

PRESERVICE REQUIREMENTS

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How Much Does A Cook Make At Second Harvest Food Bank In Louisiana

Average Second Harvest Food Bank Cook hourly pay in Louisiana is approximately $14.32, which is 8% above the national average.

Please note that all salary figures are approximations based upon third party submissions to Indeed. These figures are given to the Indeed users for the purpose of generalized comparison only. Minimum wage may differ by jurisdiction and you should consult the employer for actual salary figures.

By Doris Maricle

Volunteers from Second Harvest Food Bank of Acadiana distribute food to residents during food distribution for Southwest Louisiana. With warehouses in New Orleans and Lafayette, Second Harvest distributes more than 39 million pounds of food and groceries to 700-plus partners and programs across South Louisiana, reaching at least 100,000 people each month.

One in five households in Louisiana experience food security, but Second Harvest Food Bank is working to come up with ways to provide better access to affordable and nutritious food for those in need.

In Southwest Louisiana, Jeff Davis Parish had the highest rate with 18.6 percent of the population being food insecure or highly vulnerable to food insecurity in 2020, according to the latest data provided by Second Harvest.

In Calcasieu Parish, 17.8 percent of the residents did not have reliable access to affordable and nutritious food with 17.3 percent considered to be food insecure in Beauregard Parish. Cameron Parish had the lowest rate of food insecurity at 13.7 percent.

How Much Does A Delivery Driver Make At Second Harvest Food Bank In Louisiana

Average Second Harvest Food Bank Delivery Driver hourly pay in Louisiana is approximately $13.86, which is 14% below the national average.

Please note that all salary figures are approximations based upon third party submissions to Indeed. These figures are given to the Indeed users for the purpose of generalized comparison only. Minimum wage may differ by jurisdiction and you should consult the employer for actual salary figures.

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• Regional Director at Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans and Acadiana

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Sales/Leasing at Kenworth of Louisiana

13 Available: 2017 Peterbilt 579’s Cummins ISX-450HP 10 Speed Manual 3.36 Rears 180″ WB Miles low 500’s to low 600’s Priced at $62-70K depending on Miles. Bolt on air faring easily removed:

Join my Acadiana Duck Derby team today and make a difference for local children and families facing hunger! www.no-hunger.org/Paul When: Saturday, April 9th at 3 p.m.Where: Moncus Park, LafayetteCost: $5 per duck entryBenefiting Second Harvest Food Bank Winners do not need to be present.Thank you all for the help

Second Harvest Feeding Acadiana Food Bank Rolls Massive Disaster Relief To Acadiana And Bayou Hurricane Ida Survivors

LAFAYETTE, LA – Second Harvest Food Bank Feeding Acadiana continues to respond to the impact of Hurricane Ida on South Louisiana. Working from our 215 E Pinhook warehouse and base of operations, our staff and volunteers have worked tirelessly to deliver more than 100,000 pounds of food, water, and disaster supplies into Vermillion, Lafourche, Terrebonne and other areas slammed by this Category-4 storm.

In the days since Ida passed, our Lafayette team has distributed just a massive amount of food and supplies across the region trying to recover, said Regional Director, Paul Scelfo. But there is so much need, and we are just getting started.

Nowhere is that need greater than in Houma, where Second Harvest rushed in aid to the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux and the United Houma Nation, Scelfo said.

They really got the brunt of the storm, which is now on record as the second-strongest storm to ever hit Louisiana. The Chief of the United Houma Nation, who works for the Fire Department has spent all week rescuing tribal members trapped in their homes. Theyve rescue as many Tribal Elders and people with disabilities as they could from out the suns heat.

On Thursday, Sept 2, Second Harvest Feeding Acadiana also delivered and distributed a total of 114,000 pounds of food and supplies across Lafourche, St. Martin, and other areas of the Bayou region. Much of the aid came by way of Feeding America food bank partners in Texas.

How to help Second Harvest respond to Hurricane Ida:

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Second Harvest Food Bank Is Feeling The Impact Of Rising Food Gas Prices

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NEW ORLEANS

Second Harvest serves hundreds of community pantries, shelters and schools across south Louisiana each week.

But now, the steady rise in food and gas prices is putting a strain on the entire operation.

Everyone is feeling the crunch of inflation even a charitable organization like Second Harvest food bank.

Director of marketing, Jay Vise, says the community feeding centers they work with each week are reporting more individuals and families showing up for food donations – the rising cost of gas and groceries is leaving people without enough money to make it comfortably.

“It impacts Second Harvest as well. We have to face the prices, the supply chain issues, everything from food to trucks, keeping those on the road,” Vise said. “Everything that impacts the price, impacts us as well.”

Gas is more expensive for their fleet, and keeping trucks on the road is challenging. The price for parts needed on their trucks has gone up, and how fast they can get them is a problem, and a reminder that the shipping crisis is still an issue.

“We have fewer trucks, we have more routes to do because there’s more need,” Vise said. “It all comes together to put more of a strain on the operations.”

They’re hoping these costs stabilize soon and the community support continues.

The Second Harvest food bank relies heavily on donations and volunteers for its operations each year.

Second Harvest Food Bank

***CALENDAR ALERT/MEDIA ALERT***

Drago Cvitanovich 91st Birthday Celebration to Benefit Second Harvest Food Bank

WHO: The Cvitanovich Family, Owners of Dragos Restaurants and Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans and Acadiana

WHAT: Tommy Cvitanovich, owner of Dragos and his family will celebrate the 91st birthday of its founder, Drago Cvitanovich this year with a special fundraiser that will benefit Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans and Acadiana. The event will be held at Dragos Restaurant in Metairie and 100% of the proceeds will be donated to Second Harvest Food Bank to lead the fight against hunger in south Louisiana. The restaurant is also offering a to-go pick up station where orders may be placed from a special Family Meals-To-Go bulk to-go menu offerings so that families can enjoy Sunday dinner together. In addition to the sales on 7/14, Dragos will also collect private donations at the restaurant received the week before and the week after the event.

The Family-To-Go Menu includes the following options:

Dragos Famous Charbroiled Oysters $11.95 Half Dozen, $17.95 Dozen

Shrimp Po-Boy $12.00

Spring Salad Mix Fresh assorted greens tossed with candied walnuts, cranberries, bleu cheese and a sweet and spicy vinaigrette. $28.00

Crab Meat Mediterranean Salad Crisp romaine tossed with a light vinaigrette and Italian cheese-style dressing, then topped with jumbo, lumped crabmeat. $36.00

WHEN: Sunday, July 14 10 am 3 pm

Metairie, LA

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