Elks Lodge of Plaquemine presents donation to Our Brothers Keeper Food Bank

Elks of Plaquemine Lodge 1398 recently presented Our Brothers Keeper of Plaquemine with a donation of $1500 to be used for families who require assistance in feeding their families.

The funding is provided through the Elks National Foundation which grants funds to local lodges for community projects that serve individuals/families who need assistance.

John W. Sasser, III, Exalted Ruler of the local Elks lodge, presented the funds to Amy Flatau who manages the Our Brothers Keeper Food Bank. In response to the presentation, Flatau expressed her thanks and added, "This money will be used for food for our community of people who don't have funds to buy food for their families.

"An average of 40 families (that equals approximately 75 adults and children) are served each week by Our Brothers Keeper Food Bank. We rely on donations from the community for food or monetary donations to meet the food needs of these families. Donations typically come from the community including some food donated by businesses such as Butcher Boy, some the Baton Rouge Food Bank and the Second Harvest Food Bank as well as individuals from the area."

On hand to accept the donation from the Plaquemine Elks Lodge were other Food Bank volunteers Laura Badeux, Donna Carville, and Margaret Businelle.

There are 18 volunteers who donate their time to work in the Food Bank stocking, bagging, or distributing the food items to local families.

"The Food Bank began as a request by Father Jerome Dugas, former pastor of St. Clement of Rome Catholic Church of Plaquemine," Flatau said. "And this donation will certainly help continue that work."

Contributed by Diane D. Sasser, PhD