Chris Pratt Giving Money For Food For Acadiana

People in Acadiana and across the state will benefit from a $20,000 donation that actor Chris Pratt is making to the Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans and Acadiana.

This donation is all part of a program called Feed Thy Neighbor, The Hunger Site and 12 Tomatoes.

Pratt put together a campaign with Feed Thy Neighbor, and they raised some $650,000 dollars for those who are facing hunger across our country. The problem of food insecurity across Acadiana, Louisiana and the country was compounded by the issues related to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Pratt says,

One in four kids in America this year may not know where their next meal is coming from. The need is real. People are in pain.

Imagine if you didn't know how you were going to feed your family. Unfortunately, many families in Acadiana don't have to imagine anymore. They have experienced hunger for the first time due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

In a press release, Chris Pratt is credited with putting together the initiative for Feed Thy Neighbor, and the other groups jumped in to coordinate with the initiative. He started the donating by giving $100,000 in matching money. When people donated, they were able to get a chance to meet him and several other celebrities.

President and CEO of Second Harvest Food Bank, Natalie Jayroe says,

In Louisiana, one in five households were at risk of hunger, even before the COVID-19 pandemic. We could not have imagined also having to suffer two major hurricanes, while in the middle of the unemployment and food insecurity created by the pandemic.

She adds that this donation will have a major impact on their group's ability to feed the people of Acadiana in need.

CEO of Greater Good Charities Liz Baker says their group was developed to try to combat the food crisis issue that was only exacerbated by a pandemic. In addition, she says it has been rough because so many people who were able to donate in the past are not able to do so now due to financial concerns.