LAFAYETTE, La. — For Ema Haq, owner of Ema's Cafe and Bailey’s Tandoori Grill, Thanksgiving is more than a celebration — it’s a calling. Each year, the restaurants' staff prepares between 40 and 50 turkeys for a longstanding luncheon that brings the community together through hard work and heart.
“Every Thanksgiving, I'm here for about 12 to 15 hours, and it's a lot of work, but it's for a good cause,” said Manager Jeremy Whitman.
Haq brings lessons from his childhood in Bangladesh to his new home here in Acadiana.
“Growing up in Bangladesh, I have seen people are in need. I also realized there’s a lot of people in our country here, in our community — they might be elderly, handicapped, kids, homeless,” Haq said.
Inspired by his family’s giving spirit back home, Haq has spent the past 33 years serving Acadiana the way he was raised — with the belief that meals should always be shared.
“I have seen all my life, share meals. I don't think we ever had a meal in my house growing up that my parents didn't share meals with the needy,” he said.
With more community members still recovering from the recent government shutdown, Haq’s spirit of service is stronger than ever.
“I wish I could do it every day. There's a lot of need in our community,” Haq said. “We can't just ignore, and I think it's our responsibility, our moral obligation, to reach out to our less fortunate brothers and sisters, just to give a little lift.”
For Haq and his staff, Thanksgiving is not just a meal — it’s a tradition of compassion that continues to feed Acadiana’s spirit, year after year.
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