Northshore Food Bank milestone: 40 years of sharing (2024)

A lot has changed over the 40 years the Northshore Food Bank has been operating, but there is one thing that remains steady. The need, even in “affluent” St. Tammany Parish, persists.

Twelve percent. That’s the portion of the St. Tammany population that faces “food insecurity,” said Northshore Food Bank CEO Yvette Roussel.

“And no one should have to wonder where their next meal should come from,” she added.

And so, as the food bank gears up to celebrate its 40th birthday this month, the organization is not only honoring its past and its progress, but is laser focused on the present. So much so, that it will celebrate with an event planned to benefit those who need the organization most.

Come April 21, the Northshore Food Bank will open up its facility on W. 30th Avenue in Covington for a day of celebration, resources, care and community. The free event, which will run from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., will feature a resource fair to help connect those in need with services, a children’s fun zone, senior citizen activities, entertainment, giveaways and, of course, cake and ice cream. Cooking and gardening demos will also take place to show guests innovative ways to use the standard “staple boxes” the food bank regularly provides.

“We’re focusing on participating clients, but also those who could possibly be clients,” said Roussel. “They can come and get awareness for the services we offer, but also other resources that are out there they could take advantage of.”

Still, the 40-year milestone is a significant one for the food bank, which has grown exponentially over the years.

Started in 1984, it was originally created by the Covington Ministerial Alliance, a group of nine churches that came together to provide emergency food assistance. Coined the “Food Bank Inc. of St. Tammany,” the operation started with donations from church members and referrals from pastors who directed families in need. The group was able to serve about 400 families that first year.

For decades, the food bank was a much smaller operation, relying completely on donations that ebbed and flowed. But in 2012, the organization made a big leap from being a volunteer-led operation to the staff-led nonprofit organization it is today. It has since added 11 nutritional programs and partnered with the Second Harvest Food, which ensures a consistent supply and a variety of foods.

The food bank now serves 2,127 families in 1,009 households across the parish. In addition, 600 low-income students are provided weekend meals distributed through the school system and more than 100 patients are supported through the Therapeutic Food Pantry at the St. Tammany Cancer Center and Slidell Memorial Cancer Center. Another 100 families are served through its “Feed the Gap” program, helping those who wouldn’t ordinarily be eligible for assistance.

Other programs at the food bank include its traditional “staple box” program, which gives clients living under the poverty guidelines 40 pounds of food each week. It also hosts the summer stock program providing low-income students with meals, a T2 nutrition box program for those with diabetes, holiday meals, a fresh produce program and “community cupboard mobile distributions” to reach underserved areas. A homebound senior program also provides supplemental food distributions. And most recently this year, the organization has teamed up with Good Sams and the Knights of Columbus in Slidell to offer a satellite distribution site for the east side of the parish.

Those who want to receive aid from the food bank must go through an application process and meet certain poverty guidelines. However, with so many programs, Roussel said, “don’t automatically think you’re not going to qualify.”

As the food bank has expanded over the years, the need has been consistent. While the organization saw a spike during COVID, the food insecurity rate has remained steady, and those in need vary, Roussel said. Some need help long term, and some come during a time of transition. While stigma remains, it’s important to remember what you see is not always what you get, said Ginger Kunkle, development director.

“When I first started, I worked with volunteers they would ask, ‘I don’t know why that person has such a nice car?’” she said. “But there are a variety of circ*mstances why that person has a nice car. It might be someone else’s, or it might be all they have. You never know what someone else is going through.”

Volunteer Michael Tusa Jr. added he was shocked by the number of seniors relying on the food bank because their fixed incomes are so low.

“There’s a lot of need in the parish, and the saddest part for me is when I get some of the older folks coming in living on Social Security between $800 and $1,200 a month,” he said. “Those are folks who always want to explain to you why they’re there because, frankly, they’re embarrassed.”

The need is ever present, he said, and “we’re all responsible for each other.”

But as the organization reflects, it’s also looking to the future. Roussel said in the years to come she hopes it can reach more rural areas of the parish and find more opportunity to collaborate with other organizations.

“By addressing the various barriers to access so many are experiencing, we can reach more households who otherwise may not have food on their tables,” she said.