Need Food Assistance in Southwest Louisiana? United Way's New Guide Helps You Find It
From Lake Charles and Sulphur to Jennings, DeRidder and Oakdale, United Way Southwest Louisiana is making it easier for residents to find food assistance close to home.
LAKE CHARLES, LA - Finding help with groceries shouldn't be another challenge for families already struggling to make ends meet. United Way Southwest Louisiana has developed a new online resource, "Where to Find Food Assistance in Southwest Louisiana: A Parish-by-Parish Guide," to help individuals and families locate food resources and understand how to use the FREE 211 Helpline.
The guide provides information for residents in all five parishes served by United Way Southwest Louisiana: Allen, Beauregard, Calcasieu, Cameron and Jeff Davis.
Whether someone is searching for a food pantry in Lake Charles, emergency groceries in Jennings, meal assistance in DeRidder or food resources in a rural community, the guide explains how to get started.
Helping Families Find Food Assistance, One Step at a Time
The new resource includes:
- Parish-by-Parish information about finding food assistance throughout Southwest Louisiana.
- A six-step guide to using 211, from making the first call to connecting with a local resource.
- Information about food pantries, emergency groceries, community meals and senior nutrition programs.
- Links to Louisiana SNAP and WIC programs for eligible individuals and families.
- Answers to Frequently Asked Questions about food assistance, eligibility and accessing resources.
The guide also explains how residents can ask about other needs, including housing, utility assistance, employment resources and healthcare.
Every Call Helps Build a Stronger Community
Beyond connecting individuals with immediate assistance, the 211 Helpline plays an important role in helping United Way Southwest Louisiana and its community partners understand emerging needs throughout our five-parish region.
By identifying patterns in requests for assistance, United Way can better recognize communities where existing resources may not be meeting demand and work with its partners to explore additional support.
“Our 211 Helpline does so much more than connect people to resources. It helps us understand where the needs are greatest across Southwest Louisiana,” said Denise Durel, President & CEO of United Way Southwest Louisiana. “When we see an increase in calls or searches for food assistance in a particular community, that information helps us and other nonprofits identify gaps and determine where additional resources may be needed. We can then call on our extensive network of corporate, nonprofit and government partners to help respond. But here's what we really want people to understand: if you don't reach out, we may not know the need exists. Every call helps us see a clearer picture of what's happening in our communities and where we can make the greatest difference.”
Durel emphasized that the information gathered through 211 helps guide not only immediate referrals but also broader conversations about how organizations can work together to address unmet needs throughout Southwest Louisiana.
Food Insecurity Can Affect Anyone
For many Southwest Louisiana families, food insecurity isn't simply about unemployment. Working households, seniors on fixed incomes and families facing unexpected expenses can all find themselves struggling to afford groceries.
This includes ALICE households-Asset Limited, Income Constrained, EMPLOYED-whose earnings may exceed the federal poverty level (FPL) but still fall short of covering everday necessities. Learn more about our focus on ALICE and download the current data for Southwest Louisiana's five parishes at unitedwayswla.org.
United Way Southwest Louisiana recognizes that connecting families with food assistance can also help them work toward greater financial security.
Free, Confidential Help Is Available 24/7/365
United Way Southwest Louisiana's 211 Helpline connects residents with information about available community resources through live, trained information and referral specialists.
Residents can access help in three ways:
CALL: Dial 211 anytime, day or night.
TEXT: Send your ZIP code to 898-211.
ONLINE: Visit unitedwayswla.org/211 to learn more and search for resources.
The service is free, confidential and available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including weekends, holidays and natural disasters.
Food assistance availability varies by organization, location and eligibility requirements. The 211 Helpline helps residents identify possible resources and understand the next steps.
Explore the New Food Assistance Guide
United Way Southwest Louisiana encourages residents, employers, schools, healthcare providers and community organizations to share the guide with anyone who may need assistance.
Read the complete guide: Where to Find Food Assistance in Southwest Louisiana
From finding a food pantry to learning about SNAP benefits, the guide offers a starting point for getting connected to available help.
Because no one should have to figure out where to turn for food assistance alone.
United Way Southwest Louisiana serves Allen, Beauregard, Calcasieu, Cameron and Jefferson Davis parishes through its own Initiatives, funded nonprofit partners and community collaborations.