DSS Encourages Louisianians to Donate Food to Area Food Banks

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PRESS RELEASE

DSS Encourages Louisianians to Donate Food to Area Food Banks

BATON ROUGE (May 4, 2010) - The Louisiana Department of Social Services today is encouraging Louisianians to donate canned and non-perishable food items to area food banks, who will help distribute the items to fishermen, families and others who find themselves in need.

"For many Louisiana citizens who earn their living from the Gulf and coastal waters, this tragedy comes at the worst time," said DSS Secretary Kristy Nichols. "Many fishermen, shrimpers and oystermen earn the bulk of their incomes during short seasons of the year and are unable to work because of the current situation."

To quickly respond to the needs of individuals and families along the coastline, DSS is partnering with Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans and Acadiana to collect and distribute goods to those in need. Second Harvest accepts donations of canned and non-perishable food at 700 Edwards Avenue in New Orleans.

Suggested food donations include:

• peanut butter
• soups / stews
• canned fruits / vegetables
• canned meats (chicken, beef, ham)
• tuna fish
• chili
• cereal
• hot cereals (grits, oatmeal)
• beans
• juice
• rice
• pasta
• shelf stable milk

Additionally, Second Harvest accepts monetary donations. You can give securely on the Second Harvest website, no-hunger.org, by phone at (504) 729-2858, or by mail at Second Harvest Food Bank, Greater New Orleans & Acadiana, 700 Edwards Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70123.
Annually, Second Harvest feeds approximately 262,800 people across 23 south Louisiana parishes.

http://emergency.louisiana.gov/Releases/05042010-Food.html

 

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Re: DSS Encourages Louisianians to Donate Food to Area Food Banks

DSS and Second Harvest Request $250,000 for Immediate Food Assistance for Impacted Families, BP Partially Funds
BATON ROUGE (May 6, 2010) - In response to a letter sent Wednesday from the Louisiana Department of Social Services and Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans and Acadiana, BP provided a $100,000 check today to Second Harvest to support food assistance for families in St. Bernard and Plaquemines parishes impacted by the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

The letter requested $250,000 in immediate assistance.

?We hope this is just the first outlay of assistance to those whose livelihoods have been threatened because of the oil spill in the Gulf,? said DSS Secretary Kristy Nichols.

This $100,000 assistance will be used to replace inventory that Second Harvest is already distributing to families and to provide additional assistance. This initial grant is expected to last for a little more than a month.

Second Harvest estimates that assisting more than 800 families in St. Bernard and Plaquemines parishes will cost more than $89,000 per month.

That number is expected to increase drastically as oil moves closer to shore and more communities are affected by the spill.

The full letter requesting $250,000 to begin purchasing such inventory or an opportunity to develop a process where Second Harvest could directly submit receipts to BP for cost reimbursement of these ongoing activities is below:

May 5, 2010
Frank Hernandez
V.P. Government & Public Affairs
BP America Inc.
501 Westlake Park Blvd., WL1 - 25188
Houston, TX 77079

Dear Mr. Hernandez,

As has been previously noted, it is anticipated that residents in Louisiana?s coastal parishes affected by the oil spill may need food assistance resulting from loss of income or the need to evacuate the affected area.

Our families are already experiencing economic impacts due to the disruption in the seafood and tourism industries. This letter is to formally request BP support for Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans and Acadiana (Second Harvest) to address the emerging food assistance needs of the impacted citizens and provide for the replenishment of household goods and commodities distributed in the area.


The Department of Social Services (DSS) and Second Harvest have been working in collaboration to address the heightened food assistance needs of citizens. On Monday, May 2, 2010, DSS launched twelve Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) outreach teams to enroll eligible individuals and families. In coordination with these outreach activities Second Harvest began preparing emergency food boxes to provide immediate food assistance in the impacted coastal area and will make these resources available at DSS outreach efforts. Second Harvest has packaged approximately 350 emergency boxes for distribution and will be distributing food to approximately 150 St. Bernard families at the Breton Sound Marina. These emergency food boxes have been created using current inventory.

Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans and Acadiana currently serves 23 parishes, many of which are directly along Louisiana?s coastline including: Plaquemines, St. Bernard, Jefferson, Lafourche, Terrebonne, Orleans, Iberia, Vermillion, and Cameron parishes. As current resources are diverted towards citizens impacted by the oil spill incident, our concern is to ensure resources are available to both purchase additional household goods for distribution and to backfill existing inventory. Replenishing inventory is critical to prevent other low-income families and elderly citizens from going hungry as resources are directed towards the coastal parishes due to the oil spill incident.
With current inventory, Second Harvest can prepare approximately 150 more emergency boxes. A list of products requested for distribution to families affected by the oil spill is provided below.

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=4 border=1><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top width="58%">Description

</TD><TD vAlign=top width="42%">Size

</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top width="58%">Chef Boy Ardee Meals

</TD><TD vAlign=top width="42%">15 oz pack

</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top width="58%">Fruit-Granola Bars

</TD><TD vAlign=top width="42%">1.5 oz pack

</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top width="58%">Cereal Bars

</TD><TD vAlign=top width="42%">1.5 oz pack

</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top width="58%">Applesauce

</TD><TD vAlign=top width="42%">4 oz pack

</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top width="58%">Juice Box

</TD><TD vAlign=top width="42%">6.75 oz pack

</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top width="58%">Shelf Stable Milk Box

</TD><TD vAlign=top width="42%">6.75 oz pack

</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top width="58%">Chex Mix

</TD><TD vAlign=top width="42%">12 pack

</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top width="58%">Snack Pack Pudding

</TD><TD vAlign=top width="42%">4 oz pack

</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top width="58%">Fruit Cup

</TD><TD vAlign=top width="42%">4 oz pack

</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top width="58%">Water

</TD><TD vAlign=top width="42%">16 oz bottles

</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top width="58%">Rice

</TD><TD vAlign=top width="42%">2 lb. bag

</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top width="58%">Spaghetti

</TD><TD vAlign=top width="42%">2 lb. bag

</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top width="58%">Can Fruit

</TD><TD vAlign=top width="42%">15 oz can

</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top width="58%">Can Vegetables

</TD><TD vAlign=top width="42%">15 oz can

</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top width="58%">Beans

</TD><TD vAlign=top width="42%">2 lb. bag

</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top width="58%">Spaghetti Sauce

</TD><TD vAlign=top width="42%">15 oz jar

</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top width="58%">Tomato Sauce

</TD><TD vAlign=top width="42%">15 oz can

</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top width="58%">Peanut Butter

</TD><TD vAlign=top width="42%">15 oz jar

</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top width="58%">Jelly

</TD><TD vAlign=top width="42%">15 oz jar

</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top width="58%">Cereal

</TD><TD vAlign=top width="42%">20 oz box

</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top width="58%">Tuna

</TD><TD vAlign=top width="42%">3 oz can

</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top colSpan=2>Baby items

</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top colSpan=2>Household items

</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top colSpan=2>Toiletries

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

In order to address this need, DSS and Second Harvest are requesting a grant from BP to Second Harvest in the amount of $250,000 to begin purchasing such inventory or an opportunity to develop a process where Second Harvest could directly submit receipts to BP for cost reimbursement of these ongoing activities.

We welcome the opportunity to discuss this request. Please contact me directly with any questions or concerns.

Sincerely, Kristy H. Nichols, Secretary, DSS
Natalie Jayroe, President, Second Harvest

For more information related to the oil spill, visit www.emergency.louisiana.gov. Connect with us on www.facebook.com/GOHSEP and on Twitter @GOHSEP. View photos from the state's response efforts at www.flickr.com/photos/lagohsep.

http://emergency.louisiana.gov/Releases/05062010-harvest.html

 

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Re: DSS Encourages Louisianians to Donate Food to Area Food Banks

Fishers line up for charity handouts

Shutdown has taken away their livelihood

Thursday, May 06, 2010 By Bruce Nolan
Staff writer

More than 100 idled and sun-weathered fishermen, and the wives of others who couldn't make it, stood in line for emergency cash and supplies at a Hopedale marina Wednesday -- evidence, one sponsor said, of a growing economic calamity among fishing families left unemployed by the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

The Rev. John Arnone, pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes and St. Bernard parishes, said he had reports of people arriving at Breton Sound Marina four hours early for the 5 p.m. distribution of emergency relief by Catholic Charities and a private nonprofit, Santa on the Bayou.

"These people are in need; some of them are in desperate need," said Tony Fernandez, a St. Bernard lawyer whose foundation, Santa on the Bayou, provided $10,000 in grocery cards.

In the crowd were fishers like Ray Guenther, who said he was forced to abandon 300 crab traps for the time being because state health authorities last week closed the area to fishing to protect consumers from tainted sewafood.

Crabbing is his only income, Guenther said. Without it, he said he is running on empty economically.
Glenn Mankin, of Poydras, said he is about to draw his last check from the last haul of oysters he dredged before those waters were closed as well.

It's the last money he can count on for the foreseeable future.

Mankin, a fisherman for almost all his 33 years, said he clawed his way back into operation after Hurricane Katrina and now faces another disaster with his wife and two children.

"I'll be lucky to make it a month, month and a half. Then I'm broke again," he said.

"Plan B? There is no plan B," said a fisherman's wife who asked that her name not be used.

http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/frontpage/index.ssf?/base/news-14/1273127442318310.xml&coll=1

 

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Re: DSS Encourages Louisianians to Donate Food to Area Food Banks

BP profits doubled in first quarter on higher oil prices

By BRETT CLANTON
Copyright 2010 HOUSTON CHRONICLE

April 29, 2010, 4:25PM

BP said its first quarter profits more than doubled from a year ago on higher oil prices as the British oil giant continued fighting a growing oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico caused when a drilling rig sank last week at one of its offshore fields.

BP's quartely profits jumped to $6.08 billion from $2.56 billion during the January-to-March period in 2009, while revenue rose to $74.42 billion from $48.09 billion. Excluding special items, the results beat analyst expectations.

/.../
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/business/deepwaterhorizon/6977523.html

 

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Re: DSS Encourages Louisianians to Donate Food to Area Food Banks

PRESS RELEASE

BP Responds to DSS, Second Harvest, Catholic Charities Request for Aid
BP donates $1 million for food aid, direct assistance for families impacted by oil spill


BATON ROUGE (May 18, 2010) - Responding to a request issued by the Louisiana Department of Social Services (DSS) three weeks ago, BP today donated $1 million to two New Orleans based non-profits to provide food aid, direct cash assistance and other services to families and individuals impacted by the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

"It is too early to know the impact of this disaster on these families and the entire state of Louisiana, but this is a good step in making sure that no one goes hungry or is forced to choose between feeding their family and paying their bills," said DSS Secretary Kristy Nichols.

Catholic Charities Archdiocese of New Orleans and Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans and Acadiana will use the funds to provide food aid and direct cash assistance for expenses like rent and car payments, as well as case management and counseling services.

This $1 million donation is on top of $100,000 already given to Second Harvest, which has distributed nearly 600 emergency food boxes at disaster relief sites in St. Bernard and Plaquemines parishes and New Orleans East. Second Harvest's member agencies have given out more than 13,250 meals in St. Bernard and Plaquemines parishes.

"The people of Louisiana could not ask for more dedicated teams than Second Harvest and Catholic Charities," said Nichols. "They have been on the ground responding to this disaster from day one. Even after the oil stops flowing from the depths of the Gulf of Mexico, the impact of this disaster will reverberate through the lives of coastal Louisianians for months and possibly years to come and will require continued assistance to see them through."

DSS has worked closely with Second Harvest and Catholic Charities during the past weeks, co-writing requests to BP for aid for families. Additionally, DSS is working to ensure that as many impacted families that qualify apply for federal aid programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

SNAP outreach teams are working in 13 locations in Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Tammany, Lafourche, Jefferson and Terrebonne parishes to assist individuals in applying for regular SNAP benefits, formerly known as food stamps. More than 800 households have applied for assistance at the outreach locations since May 3.

DSS collaborated with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) last week to develop and issue an emergency rule revising what income and assets can be counted to determine eligibility for SNAP and other federally-funded cash-based aid.

The rule, which applies statewide, is designed to target the needs of coastal residents who may have recently lost income, but have assets that put them over the limit to receive aid. The rule also applies to the Family Independence Temporary Assistance Program (FITAP), the Kinship Care Subsidy Payment (KCSP) and the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP), all programs that provide direct cash-aid to families or pay for needed services like day care.

"Estimates indicate that approximately 47,000 households may experience a need for food and household commodity assistance due to the oil spill," said Nichols. "DSS is committed to exploring every avenue for aid to these families."

Before the oil spill, DSS had already seen large increases in the numbers of coastal Louisiana households applying for SNAP. In some cases, nearly 8,000 additional families per month qualified for SNAP.

Since May 1, Second Harvest Food Bank Member agencies have experienced a 15 to 25 percent increase in the number of new people seeking emergency food assistance

Individuals in need of assistance are encouraged to apply for SNAP benefits. For immediate assistance, call Catholic Charities Care Line at 1-866-891-2210 or Second Harvest Food Bank at 504-734-1322. Visit www.no-hunger.org> for help locating a Second Harvest Food Bank member agency in their local community.

http://emergency.louisiana.gov/Releases/05182010-BP.html

 

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Re: DSS Encourages Louisianians to Donate Food to Area Food Banks

WWL, United Way's 'Spirit of Community' effort to help oil spill victims

by Bill Capo / Eyewitness News
wwltv.com
Posted on June 21, 2010 at 5:02 PM
Updated yesterday at 6:41 PM

CHALMETTE -- At the St. Bernard Community Center, up to 230 people a week come for supplies of donated food, a 37 percent increase since the oil spill began.

"We're seeing a lot more people coming from the eastern part of the parish, from fishing communities, and a lot more fishermen looking for ways to sustain throughout this time," said Community Center Food Pantry Manager Krystle Johnson.

Janet Woodward is volunteering at the Community Center today, helping others. But tomorrow, she'll come back for food for her family because she says there is little work at the seafood processor where she has a job.

"I would be in big trouble, because I wouldn't be able to feed my kids," worried seafood plant worker Janet Woodward. " I would be in big trouble."

While there are many people who need help, there are also many others that want to help. Now, WWL-TV is beginning a major long-term campaign in the "Spirit of the Community,' working with United Way of the Greater New Orleans area to get the help you give to those who need it.

"The need is almost too much to handle in many respects," said Gary Ostroske, United Way Executive Director. "There is a unique situation where you have people who feel that BP should be responsible for everything, and in fact they should, but there are still people who need to be fed, and babies who need to be cared for, and that's why this fund is so important, that is can step in where there's a crack, there's a gap, that we can make things work, and then we can reclaim those dollars from BP later on."

One of the 95 United Way member agencies is the Second Harvest food bank. They say they need to double the amount of food now in this warehouse to meet the demand from the oil spill, which state officials say is already affecting 47-thousand families...

--------------------------

To make a donation to the Oil Spill Fund, you can call 211, or log on to unitedwaynola.org.


http://www.wwltv.com/news/WWLs-In-The-Spirit-Of-Community-to-Help-Oil-Spill-Victims-96831704.html