Supporters Like You

In everyone’s life, there are crossroads. Moments in time where we decide to choose the road less traveled, not knowing where that journey may take us. In that moment, the decision may seem rather insignificant, but over time we come to realize that it may have perhaps changed our lives forever.

“My mom would go to the Second Baptist Church Food Pantry in the summers to make ends meet because schools were out, and those meals for our family were no longer available during the summer,” said Jacobs. “One day my mom couldn’t go to the pantry, and so she asked if I could go in her place to pick up the food. I got there early and was amazed at the line. While I was sitting in my car, one of the older volunteers noticed that I was young and asked if I could help them prepare and distribute the boxes. I said ‘yes’.”

That simple “yes” set Jacobs on a new path, but he didn’t know it at the time. When the distribution was over, the volunteers prepared a box for Jacobs to take home and gave him some extra proteins on top for helping at the pantry which he was able to share with some of his neighbors upon returning home.

“I remember sitting in my car just staring into the windshield after and thinking ‘man, this feels so good. Why do I feel so good?'”, Jacobs recalls. “It was then that I decided I wanted to continue to volunteer at the food pantry on a regular basis and help others.”

That one decision would open a new world of opportunities. Jacobs graduated from Woodlawn High School and decided to go to Baton Rouge Community College, which in his family was not something thought to be attainable. As a first-generation college student, he enjoyed the academic competition and socialization with peers but was still searching for what he may want to do long term. He remembers being close to calling it quits.

“I was struggling to figure out what I really wanted to do and whether college was something I would finish. I went to dinner with my mom, and we were talking about it. A lady at a nearby table, who I would later come to know as Dr. Stewart, heard our conversation and said I should investigate the USDA 1890 land grant scholarship, which awards an academic scholarship to a four-year land-grant college in exchange for a commitment to work for the USDA upon graduation. I didn’t think I had a shot at all, but I took a leap of faith, applied, and won the scholarship.”

Since being awarded the scholarship, Jacobs has not only pursued his degree but has also started a student organization at Southern called Ag Business Students United which aims to secure internships for agricultural business students. As part of the organization’s charter, members must perform a certain number of volunteer hours. And as it turns out, members have chosen to join Jacobs at the Second Baptist Food Pantry for their volunteer hours which has expanded his efforts from an army of one to an army of many.

“I’m so proud of how far the organization has come, and now I’m thinking about how I secure its legacy after I graduate,” said Jacobs. “Looking back, I’m thankful for that day I decided to say yes. I want to inspire other people to think about what they can do to help others. You never know how things will work out.”

“It’s one place I’ve always wanted to go to see what it was about and to try to participate. I was so glad to be able to come here in person, and I was thoroughly impressed with it,” said Monica. “I didn’t know what to expect when I got here. I had heard about it, I had seen interviews on TV, but it wasn’t like I thought it was going to be.”

“It was a whole eye-opening experience to see how everything is done in such an order. I was just impressed with the cleanliness of everything, and how everything has a routine and a process. And the people working with you are very friendly; they don’t care how many times you ask a question.”

The mission of the Food Bank is also personal to Monica, as she has experienced food insecurity in her own life.

In the 80’s, Monica and her family were living in between rental homes and with family members. “I remember a time when my husband and I shared a candy bar for supper one night because that was all we could afford. My 2-year-old son had to eat dry cereal on top of that many times,” recalled Monica. “We did not know of any food banks or places to go to for help back then.”

Monica’s heart for giving back to her community goes even deeper than herself. She volunteers and donates to honor her late son.

“Volunteering means a lot to me. Even more now since my son passed away, and I try to do things in his memory,” says Monica. “I couldn’t help him, so I want to help others who need assistance. I want to help people that are still here and can be helped, because once they are gone, you can’t even try to help them anymore.”

“I feel like I have my son beside me when I’m volunteering, because I’m keeping him in my heart while I’m doing it. I used to be a shy person, and he was not the shy person. He was very outgoing, and I feel him pushing me sometimes to do things for others. I have some of his zest for life in me now.”

The Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank relies on supporters like Monica Gill that give their time and money to end hunger in the Greater Baton Rouge area.

Meredith Waguespack started Southern Football Tees, SFT, in 2011 as a way to share her love for football. SFT’s original t-shirt designs were focused around just that but over time they have evolved into so much more.

“We’re more than just football t-shirts, we’re a collection of all things Louisiana,” says Meredith. “I think Louisiana is a very special place and I think a lot of people who either live here or who have to move away, want something to carry with them and represent the state that they’re from with pride.”

A small operation with a big heart, Meredith was able to build a SFT brand that resonates with both locals and visitors of Louisiana. From the very beginnings of SFT, Meredith always believed in the importance of supporting nonprofits through her business.

“I think it’s important to, immediately right when you start your business, align yourself with somebody to give back. I think it’s an important way to get involved with your community and to get involved with something bigger than yourself.”

When the 2016 flood hit and impacted the community – as well as the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank – SFT quickly sprang into action. SFT’s designer, Sarah, created the iconic Cajun Navy t-shirt design and it quickly became a hit within the community. During the August 2016 Flood, SFT donated more than $50,000 to the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank in honor of the 2016 Cajun Navy.

“We had always loved and appreciated what the Food Bank does, so we just knew that it was in line for us to give back to them because of all the things that they do for the community,” she says. “When the flood came, we decided to find a way to give back through the Cajun Navy t-shirt design and we were just inundated with sales – especially within the first 24 hours.”

Over the course of two weeks, they had more than 2,000 orders. Not only was this donation an amazing contribution to the Food Bank, but it was also a significant donation for a local, small business.

“It was just really rewarding to be able to do that, to be able to give back to the Food Bank and especially that amount. It was huge… I am always shocked and still amazed, for what this shirt has done,” Meredith says.

Since 2016, SFT has continued to donate to the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank and has continued to be supportive during recent natural disasters. The Cajun Navy tee has now helped to bring in donations of over $80,000. With the support from small business just like SFT, the Food Bank is able to continue to fight hunger.

Going forward, SFT has merged with Sweet Baton Rouge to be a one-stop shop for all Louisiana lifestyle apparel and accessories. Meredith says she also hopes to continue to align her business with the Food Bank to help with natural disasters.

“Wherever the Food Bank in Baton Rouge is going to be pulling their resources to go somewhere, we want to be the brand that can help.”

Dawn and Beth, close neighbors, drove through the area to witness the need firsthand.

“We saw those children that didn’t have enough to eat and started feeding them,” recalled Dawn, Co-founder, and Executive Director of Mighty Moms, “pulling a wagon and talking to influential friends.”

“In the beginning, we just wanted to be community helping community,” said Beth McCormick, Co-founder, and Chief Operating Officer of Mighty Moms. “We started attacking a little bit at a time by focusing on the need that was before us. We partnered with the school system because it was the quickest way to serve as many children as possible.”

“We know that kids cannot learn when they are hungry, and we can help,” said Dawn. “All of us locking arms together, we can help whether that means everyone brings us a can of ravioli every time they go to the grocery store or even donating a refrigerated van. That is our focus.”

Mighty Moms began addressing the issue of hunger by partnering with schools in Livingston Parish for the Full Tummy Project, providing weekend food bags to students who depend on school-provided meals. In middle and high school, students have access to a Full Tummy Pantry, a closet stocked monthly with full-sized foods.

“We now service every school in Livingston Parish. 850 children a week are fed through the Full Tummy Project or Pantry,” stated Beth. “We’ve started new programs as well. We now have ‘Feeding Young Minds,’ where we send students from 5th through 12th grade home with a meal kit containing the necessary ingredients to cook 4 meals.”

Mighty Moms provides Feeding Young Minds recipients with YouTube videos explaining how to prepare the meal with the provided ingredients.

“Feeding Young Minds is focused on trying to get the family back engaged around food by giving them simple recipes and giving them the food to make it,” said Beth.

“Go Fresh is our newest program that we are about to launch,” said Dawn. “We know that children who live in food deserts don’t have access to fresh produce and dairy, so we want to provide them with those things. We know if they are never introduced to it, they are not going to want to try it. Our goal is to introduce them to these new foods. The Joe Burrow Foundation recently donated a refrigerated van, and we are excited for the opportunity that it gives us to bring fresh food into those food deserts in Livingston Parish.”

After 14 years of operating and growth, Mighty Moms has impacted many families and children.

“A guidance counselor told us in the beginning that there was a call from Child Protective Services for these children that were in a home and when the police got to the house, the only food in the house was full tummy bags that the children received from school,” said Beth.

“That little bag had such a huge impact on the children in this family. That was one of the first testimonials that we heard that showed us we are making a difference. Even if we just made a difference for that one family for the entire school year, it was well worth every bit of effort that we put into it. We want these children to feel loved by Mighty Moms.”

The Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank will use the funding to hire in house Procurement Coordinators and to purchase different equipment like trucks, refrigerated storage, and other essentials for partner agencies to increase the capacity and amount of food it can offer the 11 parishes it serves. Louisiana is #1 in the nation in child and senior hunger. 1 in 6 children in the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank’s 11-parish service area are food insecure.

“Building capacity in our network means bringing new partners to the table, adding new staff, procuring new equipment, and inspiring more people to join the movement to end hunger. This generous grant adds up to a significant, meaningful increase in the amount of food we’re making available in our community,” said Mike Manning, President and CEO of the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank.

The Retail Agency Capacity Building Grants were awarded to a total of 20 Feeding America partner food banks to enhance retail rescue programs in which fresh, frozen and shelf-stable foods are donated by grocers for pickup by food banks and agency partners.

With the Walmart Foundation and Feeding America grant funding, food banks and agencies will increase the number of weekly food pickups through the purchase of new equipment like refrigerated vans, freezers and forklifts. Grant funding will also help food banks and agencies add resources like staffing, training and new technology.

“Local food banks are key to making retail food rescue programs successful and expanding access to healthy food for people in our communities, which is why it’s so important to invest in their ability to innovate and efficiently pick up food donations,” said Julie Gehrki, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at the Walmart Foundation. “The Walmart Foundation’s investment builds on our continued support of the Feeding America network as we work together to strengthen the charitable meal system and end hunger.”

For nearly 20 years, Walmart, the Walmart Foundation and Sam’s Club have revolutionized food banking and transformed retail rescue in partnership with Feeding America, local food banks and partner agencies to provide fresh, nourishing food to people facing hunger in communities nationwide. To build and ensure sustainable capacity in local communities, Walmart Foundation has funded more than 200 vehicles to help with local food recovery efforts, invested in critical research to identify opportunities to capture more surplus food and provided millions of dollars in grants to build infrastructure to more equitably serve neighbors in need. As Feeding America’s largest food donors, Walmart and Sam’s Club have donated more than 7.5 billion pounds of food since 2006.

On June 28, 2023, representatives from the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank and Albertsons Companies unveiled the newest truck in the Food Bank’s fleet: a 27-foot refrigerated truck. The completed truck was revealed at St. Alphonsus Catholic Church followed by a mobile distribution.

Through Albertsons Companies’ Recipe for Change, the company works to promote sustainable ingredients, diverse representation, zero food waste, and breaking the cycle of hunger. Albertsons Companies is a longtime supporter of the Food Bank through their Fresh Rescue program. This program allows the Food Bank to provide fresh, healthy produce to more than 100 agencies across its 11-parish service, and Albertsons Companies has always played an integral role in that program.

“Albertsons has been a tremendous partner for many years to help us feed those in need in our community with healthy, nutritious food options,” says Mike Manning, President and CEO of the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank. “Adding a new refrigerated truck to our fleet will serve as a force-multiplier for our operation and expand our capacity to serve more agencies and distribute more meals to families who need assistance.”

“Albertsons Companies is committed to do our part to break the cycle of hunger in the areas where we operate”, said Christy Lara, Director of Public Relations & Community Relations. “It is through partnerships like the one we have with Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank that we can accomplish this work in our shared Baton Rouge communities, and we are so proud of our continuing work with Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank.”

Linda says she and her husband’s friends and family always look forward to special occasions to see what kind of card Brian had picked out for them. Therefore, she decided to turn one of her husband’s favorite hobbies of picking out cards for friends and family into her inspiration. She sent emails to organizations that Brian had been in, such as his college fraternity or Baton Rouge Kiwanis, as well as friends from church and family.

Linda informed them of the surprise she was working on for Brian’s 80th birthday celebration and asked they send a card or email to him on his birthday and in return, she would donate to the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank. For every card, contact or email that was received for his celebration, Linda donated $5 to the Food Bank, totaling out at $235. With the large community and family support, the Babins were able to donate the equivalent of up to 705 meals to those in need.

The first card came a few days before Brian’s birthday and Linda stated it was a “mystery” how this friend knew his birthday was approaching. On his birthday, Linda printed the emails she had sent and gave them to Brian. He stated, “it turned out in some respects even better than a real social gathering because it had multiple aspects to it which included a donation to one of our favorite organizations.”

Brian was able to communicate with people he hadn’t spoken to in years. He gathered a list of those that had contacted him in some way and started making phone calls until he was able to talk to each one of them. People who didn’t even know Brian had participated as well, like fraternity brothers from years later.

Thanks to Linda’s idea, Brian was able to have a birthday filled with social interaction despite the ongoing pandemic while donating to one of his favorite nonprofits. We are thankful for people like the Babins that think of new and unique ways to support the Food Bank during such trying times.

Mr. Fraenkel’s entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to serve others began in 1959, when he founded Fraenkel Co. in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. What began as a $50,000 start up from savings, loans from friends, and a pay-as-you sell agreement with a bedding manufacturer, quickly began to grow into a budding business. Over the years, more and more employees were hired, and the operation expanded to add upholstery and furniture distribution.  

Fraenkel Co. served the Greater Baton Rouge area for decades as a successful, 100% employee stock owned company with over 1,000 employees at its peak. As much as Mr. Fraenkel believed employees should have ownership in the business they worked to support, he equally stressed the importance of taking care of those who are less fortunate in the community.  

Mr. Fraenkel was an active supporter of so many great organizations and entities here in Baton Rouge. He served as president of the Rotary Club of Baton Rouge along with board positions for Baton Rouge Area Foundation, Chamber of Commerce, United Way, LABI, Audubon Council Girl Scouts, Community for the Arts, and Junior Achievement. He was also inducted into the Baton Rouge Business Report Hall of Fame and named Outstanding Philanthropist by the Baton Rouge Association of Fundraising Professionals in 2014.   

As years passed, Mr. Fraenkel continued to hold the Baton Rouge community near and dear to his heart. After manufacturing at the Baton Rouge office location was replaced with newer facilities in Carrollton, Texas and Branch, Mississippi, Mr. Fraenkel saw an opportunity to breathe new life into the existing, unoccupied Baton Rouge warehouse.  

With giving back to those less fortunate in mind, he made the decision to donate a major portion of the facility to the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank so that more food could be processed, packaged, and distributed – helping thousands more families in need. It was an absolute game changer for your Food Bank, quintupling our operating space from our old location. 

For nearly a decade now, the refurbished 172,000 square foot facility has allowed us to expand operations and grow our mission, distributing millions of pounds of food annually to help families in need. Our continued growth was possible because of the vision and philanthropic spirit of one man, Mr. Albert Fraenkel, who simply wanted to find a meaningful way to help struggling families in his community.    

We are honored to have been a part of his legacy of good work – one that will have a lasting impact and continue to move our mission forward for decades to come. 

Recently, Sri Swamiji arrived in Baton Rouge from India to celebrate his 80th birthday and the 25th anniversary of the temple. Michael G. Manning, President and CEO of the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank, had the unique opportunity to tell the Food Bank story at the invitation of the Datta Temple and Sri Swamiji.

Sri Swamiji was born at Mekedatu in southern India. He has served and helped the people in his community since his childhood where his spiritual guidance has long been respected. One of the core teachings of Sri Swamiji is ‘Annadanam’ which is the practice of donating food to those in need. In Sanskrit, ‘Annam’ means food and ‘Daanam’ means donate. ‘Annadanam’ means ‘feeding the hungry.’ In Hinduism, the simple act of giving someone food is the equivalent of giving someone life.

Mike talked about the Food Bank, the need for food for those in need in our 11-parish service area, and the Food Bank’s mission of feeding the hungry. Sri Swamiji and Datta Temple leaders presented Mike with the gift of a shawl and a donation check. Congregants of the temple also made additional donations during the event.

“We were honored for the invitation to speak about the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank’s mission to feed people in need regardless of race, religion, or situation,” said Mike. “Helping others in our community is a shared interest for leading a purposeful life. The tremendous donation from the Datta Temple will help us feed many hungry families in our community who deal with food insecurity on a daily basis.”

Following the visit, temple leaders toured the Food Bank warehouse. During the tour, they learned other ways to support the Food Bank, how to give food donations, how to host food drives and how to volunteer. Helping others in the community not only furthers the mission of the Food Bank but aligns with the Sri Swamiji’s messaging of living a purposeful life.

“This is just the start of something temple leaders and volunteers want to continue with the Food Bank and in the community,” says Manish Sthanki.