ST. LANDRY PARISH — The Thanksgiving Committee is celebrating a decade of serving the St. Landry Parish community, marking 10 years of providing hot holiday meals to anyone in need. Organizers say this year’s focus was simple: making sure no one spent Thanksgiving Day feeling alone or without a meal.
Jimmy Babineaux was one of the many people who came out for a plate — and he says he had more to be grateful for than ever before. After suffering a severe back and neck injury at work, followed by a car crash, Babineaux spent nearly eight years in a wheelchair. This holiday season, he’s walking again.
“At the top of my list, I’m thankful this is the first time I got out of the car and walked like this in about eight years,” Babineaux said. “Today is off the charts.”But he wasn’t just thankful for his own progress — he was grateful for the people who made the community meal possible.
Toni Effingger, her husband Joe, their daughter, and a team of dedicated volunteers spent the entire day cooking free Thanksgiving dinners for their neighbors. Their goal: feed anyone who needed a warm meal or a sense of community.
“It feels really good to feed people who are less fortunate,” Toni said. “You’d be surprised how many were grateful, because without this, they wouldn’t have had Thanksgiving dinner.” By Thursday morning, the St. Landry Charter campus was packed. Plates went out quickly, and volunteers also handed out free food gift cards to help families beyond the holiday meal.
“We just want to spread our love to everyone who isn’t as fortunate as us,” Toni shared. For many, the food meant a lot — but for the organizers, seeing the community come together meant even more. Joe Effingger became emotional while addressing the crowd, overwhelmed by the support.
“Each one of them was served with love, grace, and happiness,” Effingger said. “And that’s what they’re going to taste with every spoonful today. And it’s because of all of you.” Organizers say they prepared and served 400 plates this year, and they hope to continue growing the effort as the tradition enters its next decade.
