‘Food for Families’ seeking non-perishables, monetary donations

LAPLACE – &#8220Just had baby and lost everything in August.”

&#8220Mother with two kids. Mom’s not working and has no support to help.”

&#8220Grandparents raising family with six kids.”

The stories go on and on.

They are the heartbreaking kinds of situations we hear each year around Thanksgiving and Christmas, when L’Observateur begins its annual &#8220Food for Families” program.

Once again this holiday season, L’Observateur will be conducting our &#8220Food for Families” drive, when we ask the public to join with us in collecting non-perishable food items for needy families in the River Region.

It is the third year of our program, after we delivered 136 food boxes in 2005.

From now until Tuesday, Dec. 12, we are asking the public to bring us non-perishable food items, or send in monetary donations that we will use to purchase food.

Then on Saturday, Dec. 23, employees and their friends from L’Observateur will personally deliver those food boxes to needy families.

&#8220This is just a small way we can do something for those in our community who are not so fortunate this Christmas season,” L’Observateur Publisher Kevin Chiri said. &#8220I think that after the disaster we have all endured from Hurricane Katrina, it has made most of us know that we are truly blessed. And the best thing we can do when thinking of that, is to give back to others. I hope we will have many join with us this Christmas season to do just that.”

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.

We are also taking nominations for anyone you know who could use a food box this year.

If you would like to nominate a familyor individual 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.