LA: Strain, LDAF donate food to Baton Rouge food drive
News Date December 22, 2009
Louisiana Agriculture and Forestry Commissioner Mike Strain, D.V.M., and the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry collected and donated several cases of fresh Louisiana sweet potatoes, citrus, mirlitons, pecans, rice and other state food favorites to the 2009 Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church- St. Vincent de Paul Conference Christmas Basket Drive.
“Louisiana is known for its food and we wanted to help the church and those in need,” Strain said. “Food insecurity is not just somewhere in the United States; it’s right here in Baton Rouge, in Walker, in Lake Charles and across the state. People have been affected by the economic crunch and are having trouble putting food on the table. We’re glad to help.”
Among the items donated were Louisiana-raised beef from Opelousas’ Rolling R Ranch, rice from the Louisiana Rice Growers Association, citrus, pecans and dry good products from Tony Chachere’s, Blue Runner, Bruce Foods, Louisiana Fish Fry and Manda Meats.
Strain said Donald and Karen Becnel of St. James Parish collected a variety of fresh vegetables and fruit from backyard growers in the parish. Included in the produce was cauliflower, lemons, kumquats, satsumas, oranges, grapefruit, sweet potatoes, pecans and Plantation Mix beignet and coffee mixes.
Donald Becnel said the food collection in Vacherie evolved into a small community activity for the town.
“Nearly all of the items were donated by people in Vacherie, from their yards, from their trees and from their gardens,” Becnel said. “It became a real community event for us.”
Paul Burton, the co-coordinator of the Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church- St. Vincent de Paul Christmas Basket Drive said the church had identified 100 families within the parish that required food assistance this holiday season.
Burton said in addition to the dry goods food items, each food basket will include a frozen turkey.
“Each family will receive a turkey and get two boxes of food stocked with canned goods and fresh produce,” Burton said. “Volunteers will deliver the food on Dec. 23.”
Carroll Benedetto, the president of the Our Lady of Mercy- St. Vincent de Paul Conference said she was grateful for the LDAF’s food donation.
“We all could have been born into a family that would need assistance,” Benedetto said. “We’re glad because we get to help people, not only at Christmas, but all year. The people we help have a great faith because they know that God’s going to come through.”
Burton said Our Lady of Mercy Church Parish is bounded by Airline Highway, Greenwell Springs Road and North Foster Drive. The LDAF Baton Rouge office building falls within the boundaries of the Our Lady of Mercy parish.
Burton said the church and St. Vincent de Paul need cash and food donations year round.
Burton said to donate specifically for Our Lady of Mercy parish, call 225-926-1883. To donate to St. Vincent de Paul, givers should call 225-383-7837.
The list of donors to the Christmas basket food drive included Donald and Karen Becnel (fresh produce), Fred Rodosta of Rolling R Ranch (Louisiana beef), an anonymous farmer from Evangeline Parish (120 pounds of sweet potatoes), La. Rice Growers Association and Jimmy Hoppe Farms (40 pounds of rice) and Manda Meats.