NEW ORLEANS — With the first day of hurricane season officially upon us, organizations across our area are hoping for the best but preparing for the worst. For nonprofits like Second Harvest Food Bank, volunteers are the heart of the organization, especially when it comes to hurricane season. Some volunteers showed up bright and early and worked together to put together relief packages that will be ready to distribute when disaster strikes.
Having lived through their fair share of hurricanes, volunteers Darlene Guichard and Pat Shepard said they know what it's like to go without in the aftermath of a storm.
Guichard said, "A lot of us have had hurricane damage and been without during the storm many, many, many times."
The two both remember the help they needed after Katrina. Shepard said the kindness others showed her back then and during other times of disaster pushed her to start volunteering with the food bank. The duo agrees the least they can do is pack food kits to help the organization prepare for the worst-case scenario.
"We just don't realize when it's going to be our turn or if it's going to be our turn again, so why not help those who are in need just like we could be as well," Shepard.
The emergency kits have enough food to sustain an individual or a family for three days. It's an essential disaster relief tool for Second Harvest.
Brittany Taylor, the Director of Marketing and Public Relations at Second Harvest Food Bank, said, "Every year, we're preparing during hurricane season to make sure that we are stocked with all the essentials so we can be able to serve the families across Louisiana."
Taylor said the kits were made possible thanks to an ongoing partnership with Abbott. Since 2011, Abbott has donated more than 788,000 pounds of disaster-response supplies to Second Harvest Food Bank, to be kept on hand in its Elmwood-area and Lafayette warehouses for use in Louisiana disaster and emergency response or beyond.
“Abbott is an essential partner who makes it possible for Second Harvest to respond swiftly to disasters,” said Natalie Jayroe, President and CEO of Second Harvest Food Bank. “Having the Abbott disaster-response boxes on hand is vital to responding to a crisis, whether it is here in South Louisiana or in a neighboring state. While we are especially vigilant during hurricane season, we also know that we must also be prepared to respond to disasters such as flooding and tornadoes year-round.”
Taylor said the hands that pack these disaster kits is what keeps this nonprofit going.
"We need volunteers to help support us so that we are able to give food to families no matter the situation may be, and more specifically especially during disaster time when times are vulnerable and critical," Taylor said
To find out more information on how you can donate and where you can locate distribution centers in the event of a disaster, click here.
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