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Catholic Charities in Action
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January 6, 2026Nourishing Our Neighbors in the Diocese
As we celebrate the Nativity of our Lord, we are reminded that the Christmas story is one of humility and hope. It is a season where we are called to be the hands and feet of Christ to those around us. For Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux, this mission is lived out daily through the fundamental act of feeding the hungry.
Food insecurity remains a pressing issue for many in our bayou communities. To meet this challenge, Catholic Charities operates three food bank locations: the Good Samaritan Food Bank in Thibodaux, the Good Samaritan Food Bank in Raceland and the Catholic Community Center Food Bank in Galliano. While these sites are pillars of support, transportation barriers often prevent the most vulnerable from easily accessing these resources.
Reaching the Peripheries
In response to this need, Catholic Charities launched a vital new initiative in early 2025: the Good Samaritan Mobile Pantry. Designed to serve the entire diocese, the mobile pantry works by loading food from the closest brick-and-mortar food bank and transporting it directly to areas where travel is difficult for residents.
The impact has been immediate and growing. Monthly distributions in the Chackbay community began in March, followed by the launch of service to Grand Isle in October. The mobile pantry is currently serving more than 100 families per month, bringing fresh food and hope to areas with limited access to food bank services. Looking toward the future, Catholic Charities is already planning to expand the mobile pantry service to the Morgan City area in 2026.
A Community Effort for the Holidays
The spirit of generosity was particularly visible this past November. Through an effort to ensure our neighbors could celebrate Thanksgiving with dignity, Catholic Charities distributed holiday meal boxes and fresh turkeys to 700 families who are regularly served through the food banks.
This achievement was made possible through powerful partnerships. For the second year in a row, Catholic Charities partnered with local Catholic Schools to collect the necessary items to fill these holiday meal boxes. The response from our youth was inspiring. Seven Catholic Schools participated in the drive, collecting and sorting more than 7,500 pounds of food. Because of their hard work, families received vegetables, mashed potatoes and gravy, rice dressing mix, yams and dessert items.
Complementing the students’ efforts, the business community and individual donors stepped up with incredible generosity. Through their contributions, $12,000 was collected to purchase the fresh turkeys and other support items needed for the distributions.
The Mission Continues
While the holidays are a peak time for giving, the need to fight food insecurity in our community is a year-round effort. Donations often increase during the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons, but the need for nutritional support remains steady during every month of the year.
As we celebrate the Christmas season, we invite you to consider how you might share your time, talent or treasure to support this ministry. There are several ways to get involved:
- Donate Goods: You can donate food, cleaning supplies, and personal hygiene items to any of our food banks.
- Volunteer: There are volunteer opportunities daily to help prepare food boxes, pick up and sort retail donations, and assist with the distribution of food to those in need.
- Host a Drive: Consider conducting a food drive in your local community, parish, or business.
- Financial Support: Business and personal financial donations allow the food bank to source more food and reach more people efficiently.
- Prayer: Most importantly, please pray for those facing food insecurity, that their needs may be met and that they feel the love of God through our community.