$200K donation to Louisiana food banks amid federal government shutdown

BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — Gov. Jeff Landry, First Lady Sharon Landry, and Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System (FMOLHS) President E.J. Kuiper joined morning show host Sydney Simone to discuss several topics, including the First Lady’s Love One Louisiana Foundation.

The first lady said her foundation, in partnership with FMOL Health System, will provide $200,000 to food banks across Louisiana. The announcement comes as no new federal food assistance is expected on Nov. 1, due to the ongoing federal government shutdown.

“We’re thrilled to announce that, in partnership with FMOL Health Systems, their generous donation, along with our matched donation through my foundation, Love One Louisiana, we’ll donate $200,000 to food banks across the state of Louisiana,” she said.

Kuiper added that food insecurity remains a major issue in the state.

“Food insecurity, as you know, is a reality for hundreds of thousands of citizens in Louisiana, children, senior citizens, and there is a direct correlation between food insecurity and healthcare outcomes,” he said.

The first lady said the foundation will send funds to Lake Charles, New Orleans, Alexandria, and Shreveport, while FMOL Health System will assist food banks in Lafayette, Baton Rouge, Monroe, and Bogalusa. Kuiper said the money is already available and communities should see an impact “right away.”

On Wednesday, Oct. 29, Gov. Landry explained how state-funded SNAP benefits for November will be distributed.

“We know that as the government continues to be shut down and until they reach some common ground and get the government open, there’s going to be a problem with many of our safety net programs,” the governor said.

He also talked about the sustainability of Louisiana’s response to SNAP benefits being cut off. “If they don’t reach a compromise, it’s not sustainable in the long run, and that’s exactly why the donations from Sharon’s foundation and from FMOL are so important today.” 

The Louisiana Department of Health is expected to release additional information by Friday, Oct. 31, detailing how much funding will be loaded onto cards and which food banks will receive donations.

Landry noted that about 53,000 people will not have their SNAP benefits reloaded and will need to rely on local food banks for assistance.

“We want to try to move them people into employment, that’s number one. You know, work requirements are coming to the food stamp program shortly anyhow, and so those people, we want to direct them to food banks, that’s why what they’re doing today is such an unbelievable thing,” he said.

Landry had this message for the people of Louisiana as the cut-off approaches. He said, “Their state government right now is acting just like many and everyone in Louisiana through compassion and through caring and through taking care of those that are the most vulnerable.”