NEW ORLEANS — Social distancing makes volunteering and helping our community even more challenging, but we are still seeing businesses, organizations and churches taking care of one another.
Monday, around noon, there was a line outside Broussard's in the French Quarter of food industry workers picking up free, warm meals for their families. It meant a lot to them since right now they're all out of a job.
"The only thing we can do right now is feed them, feed their families, get to see them six feet apart," said Marv Ammari, CEO of Creole Cuisine Restaurant Concepts.
Creole Cuisine had to shut down most of their restaurants. That puts 1,300 employees temporarily out of work. To help, they're serving these workers in their families everyday as long as they can. They are preparing 3,000 curbside meals that can be picked up at Broussard's or Boulevard American Bistro.
Many of workers in this position are also looking to Second Harvest Food Bank for help for the first time.
"People from all walks of life who have suddenly lost their jobs and know they're going to need extra food in their house," Jay Vise with Second Harvest Food Bank said.
Second Harvest has seen overwhelming support.
"The response from the community has been tremendous," Vise said.
As grocery stores are running low though, so are their shelves in their food pantries. They are now desperate for more donations.
"We have about a week and a half's worth of food right now," Vise said.
Churches are also still finding ways to feed those in need. Hillary Bass is with St. Timothy Missions and Outreach team.
"We are creating a Coronavirus response ministry," she said.
As part of that, this weekend they packed and delivered lunches to homeless in New Orleans.
"I have seen the most beautiful things you can imagine from humanity when times like this happen. People really come together," Bass said.
If you need food from Second Harvest Food Bank call 211. If you can donate or volunteer, go to no-hunger.org.
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