St. Joseph Diner on Wheels
Through a generous founding donation from Love Our Community, Catholic Charities of Acadiana has developed a new mobile food program that is operated through St. Joseph Diner. This new venture addresses the issue of food insecurity and hunger throughout the eight civil parishes of Acadiana. The St. Joseph Diner Mobiles increase access to freshly prepared, frozen meals by providing weekly distributions throughout Acadiana.
The founding donation from Love Our Community included three new Ram ProMaster vans, each modified to include a serving window that allows prepared meals to be served safely and efficiently in a mobile setting.
“Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Love Our Community endeavored to meet critical needs in our community where food access was, and remains, a priority,” said Ryan R. Domengeaux, CEO & General Counsel of the William C. Schumacher Family Foundation. “Through Love Our Community and in collaboration with many, we are thrilled to help meet a critical need in Acadiana. We didn’t hesitate to empower St. Joseph Diner when Catholic Charities of Acadiana asked us to help find a way to distribute more food to those in need.”
St. Jules Catholic Church in Franklin, LA is the most recent distribution point added to the St. Joseph Diner Mobile program. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, the Franklin area experienced great need related to poverty and access to food. This new distribution point is in response to that need. Volunteer Suzanne Wiltz shared that the distribution in Franklin has been a continual and contemporary reminder of Jesus feeding the multitudes, and that it has renewed the activity, charity, and community collaboration in the church parish and city. Catholic Charities of Acadiana is proud to partner with parishes like St. Jules and other social ministries across the Diocese to offer this lifeline. St. Joseph Diner Mobiles currently serve three distribution sites and share upwards of 5,000 meals each week.
Catholic Charities of Acadiana will continue to expand this program to other areas, covering the eight-parish region as we identify emerging needs. The St. Joseph Diner Mobile program is 100% donor-supported, and recurring monthly donors are needed to sustain and grow this program. If this work inspires you, we invite you to donate by visiting catholiccharitiesacadiana.org/stjosephdiner