By KEVIN CHIRI

Publisher

LAPLACE – The second annual L’Observateur &#8220Food for Families” program will kick off this week, seeking donations from the community to help needy families this holiday season.

Last year,the first &#8220Food for Families” program was sponsored by L’Observateur, seeking donations of non-perishable food items, or monetary donations that we use to purchase food.

We also solicit nominations of needy families in the community, who will receive a food box shortly before Christmas this year.

&#8220Considering what recently happened to our entire region, we know the needs of many are probably more than normal,” Publisher Kevin Chiri said. &#8220And that is why we feel like our ‘Food for Families’ program is more

important than ever this year.”

Individuals or businesses who would like to participate may mail monetary donations to &#8220Food for Families,” c/o L’Observateur, P.O. Box 1010, LaPlace, La., 70459. Or you can bring donations of non-perishable foods to our newspaper office just off Hwy. 44 (old Main Street), located at 116 Newspaper Dr.

You can also drop off donations to A Storage Inn, 2820 Hwy. 51, LaPlace. They are open to receive donations from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., seven days a week.

Donations will be collected until Monday, Dec. 12 at 5 p.m.

Food boxes will be personally delivered by newspaper employees on Saturday, December 17.

Last year the program delivered 45 food boxes to needy families in the area, and this year we hope to increase that number, especially with many households having extra people living with them who were displaced from the hurricane in the New Orleans area.

If you would like to nominate a family to receive a food box, fill out the form at the end of this story and mail it to &#8220Food for Families,” c/o L’Observateur, P.O. Box 1010, LaPlace, La., 70459.