LAFAYETTE, LA. — FoodNet Food Bank, a program of Catholic Charities of Acadiana, is launching its Summer "Grab One Extra" Food Drive to help address increased food insecurity across Acadiana during the summer months.
Community members are encouraged to support the effort by purchasing and donating non-perishable food items through FoodNet collection bins located at participating grocery stores throughout the region.
"While hunger affects families year-round, summer often presents unique challenges for households already struggling to make ends meet. When school is out of session, many children lose access to free and reduced-price meal programs, placing additional strain on family budgets and increasing demand at local food pantries. Across Acadiana, FoodNet's network of partner agencies regularly experiences a rise in requests for assistance during the summer months as families work to stretch limited resources," a release states.
FoodNet Food Bank provides food to a network of partner pantries and ministries serving individuals and families across Acadiana. Last year alone, FoodNet distributed more than 32,000 supplemental grocery bags through its hunger relief network. During the summer, maintaining a steady supply of shelf-stable food becomes especially important as community need increases.
"The strength of this campaign is the collective impact of simple acts of generosity," said Ben Broussard, Chief of External Affairs for Catholic Charities of Acadiana. "One extra food item may not seem significant, but when thousands of shoppers across Acadiana each choose to grab one extra item and donate it, those individual contributions become thousands of meals for families facing hunger. During the summer months, when children lose access to school meals and food pantries see increased demand, those small decisions at the checkout line can make a tremendous difference for our neighbors in need.”
FoodNet is asking shoppers to embrace the simple concept of "Grab One Extra" during their regular grocery trips. Whether it is a can of vegetables, a jar of peanut butter, a box of pasta, cereal, rice, canned fruit, or other shelf-stable food items, every donation helps ensure local pantry shelves remain stocked throughout the summer.
Donations can be placed directly into FoodNet collection bins located near the entrances and exits of participating grocery stores. All food collected remains in Acadiana and supports local families experiencing food insecurity.
Here are some of the grocery stores that are participating in the drive:
Adrien's Supermarket
3842 W Congress St. | Lafayette, LA 70506
Albertsons
2863 Ambassador Caffery Pkwy. | Lafayette, LA 70506
2678 Johnston St. | Lafayette, LA 70503
Champagne's Market
454 Heymann Blvd. | Lafayette, LA 70503
NuNu's Market
509 Lafayette St. | Youngsville, LA 70592
Super 1 Foods
3916 NE Evangeline Thwy. | Carencro, LA 70520
215 W Willow St. | Lafayette, LA 70501
3747 Ambassador Caffery Pkwy. | Lafayette, LA 70503
200 Destination Pointe Ln. | Scott, LA 70583
Whole Foods Market
4247 Ambassador Caffery Pkwy. | Lafayette, LA 70508
Crossroads Collective
1416 S. College Rd. | Lafayette, LA 70503
