By Kyle Roberts
Board members of the local food ministry 5 Loaves, 2 Fish provided an update Tuesday at the Lincoln Parish Library on the progress the group has been making in the last year to fight food insecurity in Lincoln Parish.
Board President Julie Holmes, Secretary Stephanie Matthews and Treasurer Carol Trumbold all offered various updates from numbers of meals served since the first event to the goals for the ministry’s future.
“I’m glad to know that the idea that we have is needed,” Holmes said after the presentation. “And it’s obvious, that being able to serve this many meals to people in need, the project is beneficial to the area. You know, every time we go and serve, I have at least one or two people that tell us they are grateful we were here today (at an event). Some of them did not know what they were going to have that evening to eat, and they were able to eat because of the event.”
Beginning in February of this year, nearly 1,500 meals have been served in an eight-month span of time with events held in various churches and locations in Ruston, Grambling, Dubach and Simsboro.
The mission of the ministry is to fight food insecurity by identifying neighborhoods that have residents living below the ALICE (Asset-limited, Income-constrained, Employed) level. Nearly 64 percent of Lincoln Parish residents meet this criteria, with the highest population percentage (estimated between 75-95 percent) living south of I-20 in Ruston, Grambling and Simsboro.
Moving forward, the group hopes to serve 3,600 hot, healthy meals by September of 2025 and to hold events in designated communities three times per month.
Holmes also listed the hope of obtaining a mobile food concession trailer, folding tables and chairs, and food warmers/roasters in the near future to make the ministry more efficient.
More information can be found at https://5loaves2fishruston.org, where a donation tab is also available for anyone who would like to give financially to the ministry.
