Facing cutbacks in federal funding to feed the needy, Second Harvest Food Bank in Lafayette is turning toward a familiar ally – the rubber duck – for help.
The charity, which distributes food in 23 southwest Louisiana parishes, will host the 2nd Annual Acadiana Duck Derby at 3 p.m. April 15 at Wetland Pond in Moncus Park. Family-friendly events will begin at 1 p.m.
Second Harvest sold tickets for rubber ducks, which “race” across a park pond, at $5 each. The first 10 ducks that finish will earn prizes, with a top prize of $5,000. Here’s why the charity needs the money, Second Harvest says:
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program expanded benefits during COVID-19 to help needy families through the pandemic. But with the end of the pandemic, the federally funded program, which helped 418,000 Louisiana households — around a million people, in all — was trimmed for federal funding.
Meanwhile, the cost of groceries has increased as much as 14% per month at a time when 5.5% more people are applying for assistance. Second Harvest, which relies upon the help of big food distributors, said it has seen food donations decrease because donors are facing supply chain cutbacks and inflation.
Last year, Second Harvest said, the organization distributed a monthly average of 1,189,922 pounds of food in Acadia, Beauregard, Calcasieu, Cameron, Evangeline, Iberia, Jeff Davis, Lafayette, St. Landry, St. Martin, St. Mary, and Vermilion parishes — all of which are supplied through Lafayette.
But donated food has declined by about one-third in the last year, Second Harvest said.
Natasha Curley, Second Harvest spokesperson in Lafayette, said households — especially in rural Acadiana parishes — started feeling the pinch from reductions in assistance March 1. That was when emergency benefits for COVID decreased for half of Louisiana households, she said. Starting in April, she said, families will no longer see any additional funds from SNAP.
The benefits were reduced because President Biden signed a spending bill, the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023, that did not include funding for COVID-related allotments.
“Families have been relying on this for more than three years,” she said.
Second Harvest food distributions are made through mobile pantries, with 18-wheel trucks driven to large parking lots. She said the trucks are loaded with groceries, meat, produce, dairy and dry goods.
Second Harvest also operates “Kids Cafes” at school with high percentages of low-income students. In Acadiana, there are eight pantry sites, including one at Scott Middle School.
Duck entries are available online at no-hunger.org/ducks or at various locations throughout Acadiana.