IBERIA PARISH — As the holidays approach, The Community Church in New Iberia is gearing up for one of its largest food distribution events of the year — an outreach designed to make sure local families have everything they need for a full Thanksgiving meal.
The church’s food pantry, which opened in the fall of 2024, has quickly grown into a vital resource for families in Iberia Parish. Co-pastor Grace LeBlanc said the goal from the beginning was to eliminate barriers for people seeking help.
“We don’t require IDs or income information,” LeBlanc said. “The goal was just to serve anyone who walked in and said they were in need.”
What started as a small effort has expanded significantly. The pantry served about 20 families during its early months, but word spread through Facebook, neighborhood pages, and community referrals. Last month, the church helped more than 60 families, representing more than 200 people.
“We have a lot of people in our parish who are in need,” LeBlanc said. “It’s been cool to be able to reach those people and help them in their time of need and not expect anything back.”
The church will hold its Thanksgiving outreach on Saturday, Nov. 22, at 9 a.m., offering full bags of Thanksgiving groceries. Volunteers tailor each bag to each household, asking families how many people they’re cooking for, what kitchen appliances they have, and whether anyone has allergies.
“It helps us make sure the bag is really catered to their needs,” LeBlanc said.
The pantry is fully donation-driven, supplied by members of the church and the broader community. Volunteers spend the week sorting items, organizing the pantry, and even shopping sales daily to stretch donations as far as possible.
“You can’t do this by yourself,” LeBlanc said. “We have an amazing group of volunteers who make it possible.”
This year, the Thanksgiving outreach will feature a new offering: dessert bags, an idea created by church member Megan Stinson and her daughter Alexis.
Stinson said the concept started when she came across a social media video showing a cake made entirely from shelf-stable ingredients.
“I couldn’t get it out of my head,” she said. “I kept feeling nudges — you have to do it, you have to do it. I even had a dream about it.”
So she tried it. She put out a call for donations, hoping the idea might catch on, and it did.
Community members have provided enough ingredients for about 70 dessert bags, and Stinson says as long as donations come in, the project will continue with themed bags for the holidays, as well as "Birthday Bags" year-round.
Each bag includes cake mix, frosting, sprinkles, and cake toppers — offering families a simple, fun dessert that doesn’t require perishable items.
Her 7-year-old daughter, Alexis, has been part of the effort from the start.
“She’s right there beside me,” Stinson said. “She’s helped me put together just about every single bag.”
Stinson said she wanted to create something that would feel special to children during the holidays, especially for families who might not have the means to buy extra treats.
LeBlanc said their pantry and clothing closet were born from a desire to make the church’s large campus useful to the community.
“You hear a lot of negative about New Iberia,” she said. “We wanted to bring something positive. If we have the space, why not use it to help people?”
The church expects around 100 families at the Thanksgiving outreach and is continuing to accept donations of food items, baking supplies, and monetary contributions.
To donate or volunteer at The Community Church's food pantry or free community closet, you can contact Pastor Grace LeBlanc directly at (337) 380-3191.
If you'd like to donate supplies for dessert bags, you can buy directly from Megan Stinson's Amazon wishlist, contribute via Venmo or Cash App, or contact her directly at (337)322-2029.
