Edward Turner, who usually cooks meals at the St. Mary Parish Senior Citizens Center on Chennault Street, was served Tuesday by Morgan City Councilman Ron Bias, standing at left, and former Parish President Paul Naquin, right. The center was the site for a holiday meal for seniors provided by a partnership among Second Harvest Food Bank, Peoples Health and the St. Mary Council on Aging. The People's Health-Second Harvest partnership is in its 12th year and has provided more than 50,000 holiday meals for seniors. Second Harvest chefs prepared 300 meals for Tuesday's event in Morgan City. More senior feeding events are planned for Houma Wednesday, Hammond Thursday and New Orleans Friday, at the end of which they'll have served 6,000 meals. Shown with Turner are his wife, Peggy, and Mary Dugan, who also works at the center.
The Review/Bill Decker
UPDATED WITH STORY: Second Harvest, Peoples Health team up for senior meal
Edward Turner normally cooks for the lunchtime crowd at the St. Mary Senior Citizens Center. On Tuesday, Turner was at a table at the center, waiting for someone else to bring out the food.
“At least I hope they are,” Turner said.
But he didn’t have to wait long for a plate of turkey with the trimmings, an early Thanksgiving meal made possible by a partnership bringing together Peoples Health, Second Harvest Food Bank and the St. Mary Parish Council on Aging.
This is the 12th year that Peoples Health, a United Health Care company, and Second Harvest have worked together to bring a free, hot holiday meal to seniors.
Morgan City seniors were treated Tuesday. Turkey was on the menu in Houma on Wednesday, Hammond Thursday and New Orleans Friday.
This year, sit-down meals returned after two COVID years in which meals were delivered drive-up style.
Second Harvest prepared 300 meals for the Morgan City event. The partnership will serve 6,000 meals this year.
The event in Morgan City drew a crowd.
“You’ve got people from all over,” said Peggy Turner, Edward’s wife. “Bayou Vista, Berwick, Patterson, Amelia. And Morgan City.”
The people at the event were served by former Parish President Paul Naquin, Parish Councilmen James Bennett and Les Rulf, and Morgan City Councilman Ron Bias.
Second Harvest’s mission, according to its website, is to give food-insecure people access to nourishment, to serve as an advocate for them and to provide education.
But “today we’re focused on seniors so they can get a hot meal,” said Brittany Bowie, Second Harvest’s impact operations director.