Eric Danos: Food insecurity is reality for many in region

By ERIC DANOS 
Over 266,000 people call the Bayou Region home. This has been my home, like so many others, for generations.
Known as Louisiana’s Working Coast, the Bayou Region is where we’ve built our communities on hard work, family and faith. We rise early, work long hours and fuel industries like oil and gas, seafood and agriculture that keep our state running. Yet over 43,000 of our friends and neighbors —  roughly 15 % — experience food insecurity.
In a region so often tested by hurricanes and floods, our nearest emergency food bank was almost two hours away in some cases. The devastation of Hurricane Ida taught us just how difficult it was to deliver food and supplies quickly from Second Harvest’s New Orleans warehouse. The same people who keep Louisiana running often waited the longest for help. Delayed access to safe, nutritious food during a crisis does more than cause hunger; it stresses families, destabilizes the workforce and threatens long-term recovery, safety and prosperity.
That’s why Chevron and Danos have long stood with Second Harvest Food Bank in the fight against hunger, and the recent opening of Second Harvest’s Bayou Food Distribution Center in Houma marks a turning point for our community. The new center brings critical food resources closer to home, ending long drives for families seeking help. It supports more than 60 community partners and serves as a vital hub for both emergency response and year-round food access across Terrebonne, Lafourche, St. Mary parishes and Grand Isle.
Since opening in May 2025, the Bayou Distribution Center has already distributed over 715,000 pounds of food — the equivalent of nearly 600,000 meals. Second Harvest is now working to complete a 3,400-square-foot commercial kitchen, thanks to contributions from Chevron and the Ray & Kay Eckstein Charitable Trust. Once completed, the kitchen will have the capacity to prepare up to 3,000 hot meals a day for children, seniors, as well as those affected by disasters. The center also features 1,750 square feet of cold storage (with custom-built coolers and freezers), solar panels, full generator backup, showers for responders and a walk-up food pantry.
Louisiana’s Working Coast supports over 62,000 energy jobs, generating $4.8 billion in earnings and adding $9.7 billion in local value. Terrebonne Parish alone produces over 20% of Louisiana’s seafood. Lafourche Parish’s total agricultural impact of nearly $250 million sustains vital crops like sugarcane and citrus that keep Louisiana’s economy moving. These numbers reflect a simple truth: when the Bayou Region hurts, Louisiana hurts.
As an active board member of Second Harvest, Danos is proud to have supported the organization through seven Danos Foundation GIVES grants. Chevron, a leading partner, has contributed more than $3.1 million over the past two decades. Most recently, when SNAP benefit disruptions impacted numerous Bayou Region families, Chevron stepped up again by providing $45,000 in emergency funding to help ensure no family goes without food.  
Beyond financial support, our employees have packed boxes, stocked shelves and delivered meals to neighbors in need. Because when we invest in food access, we’re investing in people — the families and workers who make Louisiana special.
The Bayou Distribution Center is just the beginning. Taking care of our communities doesn’t start or stop with a storm. It’s an everyday commitment; one we all share. Danos, Chevron and Second Harvest Food Bank will continue showing up for the people of the Bayou Region who show up for us every day. Join us in supporting the Second Harvest Bayou Food Distribution Center, and help protect our neighbors who keep Louisiana’s energy, seafood and agricultural industries thriving.
Eric Danos is owner and CEO of Danos Ventures.