LAFAYETTE PARISH — Love of People is aiming to prepare 5,000 meals for its 12th Annual Community Thanksgiving, and organizers say this year’s focus goes far beyond feeding families, it’s about reconnecting a community that feels increasingly disconnected.
The nonprofit, led by founder John Williams, will distribute free Thanksgiving meals across from sites in locations including Lafayette, New Iberia, Opelousas on Nov. 27. Organizers say they have two major goals this year: bringing groups together to volunteer during the meal-prep process, and locating the residents who are “most in need and most vulnerable” to ensure no one goes without a meal on Thanksgiving Day.
“Our goal for this year is to create 5,000 meals, and we have two main goals in mind,” said Chad Theriot, a lead Organizer of the event. “Number one is during the process of the volunteerism to create the meals, we invite people to come and join us and help us create those meals. It’s a wonderful process to share with your family and share with groups of organizations. Our second goal is to get the meals to people that need them the most, those in need and the most vulnerable.”
For 12 years, Love of People has provided Thanksgiving meals across Acadiana, but organizers say the need has grown and are looking for those who have a higher threshold of vulnerability when it comes to food security. They’re partnering with local groups in Lafayette, New Iberia, and Opelousas, but say they cannot reach everyone without the public’s help. The organization is urging neighbors, churches, community groups, and volunteers to help identify families who may be isolated, unhoused, or disconnected from traditional support systems.
Chad shared a story about discovering families in conditions such as living behind a Home Depot or even in a cluster of trees and also included the concern for children who attend school without having a home address. “It breaks my heart,” he said. “Nobody should be like that.”
“We want to make sure that they have meals. And if we can find people who can get us connected to them, then we can make sure at least one day a year, they have a great meal,” Chad said.
He added that they need more than volunteers, they need people who can help them locate those most in need.
“That will help our community, and it’ll help all of us feel better together.”
The organizer said technology and modern life, as he learned, isnt what holds together community bonds, making efforts like this do and it is now more important than ever.
“People have to put down the technology and get outside and go meet people and go help people. That’s what’s going to save us.”
He said his own mother canceled the family’s holiday dinner last year after volunteering, choosing instead to “have it with the people.”
Organizers say they hope residents will gather as families, groups, and organizations, not only to help prepare the meals, but to help locate the neighbors who may otherwise be missed. Meal distribution runs from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day, while supplies last.
