LAFAYETTE PARISH — School is out and summer is in full swing, and St. Joseph Diner is kicking off its annual Summer Diner Takeover—a community-driven volunteer initiative aimed at tackling hunger in Acadiana.
The diner, a program of Catholic Charities of Acadiana, is calling on local businesses, churches, civic groups and families to don an apron and help fill volunteer shifts throughout the summer.
“Volunteers are vital to what we do,” said Ben Broussard, chief of external affairs for Catholic Charities of Acadiana. “We’re inviting groups, businesses, church communities, families to come in and to actually take the entire shift—whether it be a breakfast shift, a lunch shift, or one of the in-between shifts—to go and take all of the volunteer spots and fill them internally.”
Investar Bank employees were among the first to step in this summer.
“Homelessness and hunger are real issues in Lafayette,” said Mary Guidry, senior vice president at Investar Bank. “We’re happy to be able to participate with Catholic Charities and St. Joseph Diner in addressing that issue."
St. Joseph Diner serves between 700 and 750 meals daily. Organizers said the Summer Diner Takeover is not only a way to meet community needs but also offers groups an opportunity for team building and long-term engagement.
“It really is amazing to see a group come in and serve as one unit,” Broussard said. “Not only to perform the work that we need here in the diner of serving these meals, but also just watching this group grow.”
The program will run through the summer months, when volunteer support tends to dip. Interested groups or individuals can sign up online, here.
