Written by Casey Ardoin, 2021-2022 Collaborative Opportunity Grants Chair
The Collaborative Opportunity Grants Committee kicked off the new year with work that will impact hundreds in the Acadiana area.
At the end of January, the committee fulfilled the Healing House grant project. Volunteers put
together 100 Coping Kits and delivered them to area funeral homes and hospitals. These kits are given to children who’ve experienced the recent death of someone significant in their lives. Each kit includes art supplies and grief journals as well as other comfort items. Junior League of Lafayette also provided additional supplies for 300 more Coping Kits, and our
committee is available to help Healing House package and deliver more kits as needed.
In February, the committee completed the Second Harvest grant project. Junior League of Lafayette worked with the nonprofit to put on a tasting event and restocked the food pantry at Scott Middle School. Second Harvest’s school pantry program helps alleviate child hunger by giving students access to nutritious meals. Kids in the program can take home food packages or have their parents come “shop” at the pantry. Junior League of Lafayette volunteers restocked the pantry with shelf-stable items and kitchen essentials.
They also helped serve Buffalo Chicken Mac n’ Cheese for 20 of the program’s participants. The committee assembled take-home bags of the meal’s ingredients along with a recipe card so they could make the dish at home. While this year’s tasting event was smaller than in years past due to COVID-19 restrictions, many families will be fed thanks to the school pantry.
The Collaborative Opportunity Grants Committee is proud to be able to work alongside these nonprofits, acting as a force for good in Acadiana. Check out the entire list of this year’s grant recipients here, and be on the lookout for more posts on these impactful projects.