“Families sharing a meal together is about more than food—it’s about connection, comfort, and dignity.”
A Season of Thanks—and a Table for Everyone
By Denise Durel, President & CEO, United Way Southwest Louisiana
November is always a month of reflection for me. As the weather cools and families gather around tables filled with food, laughter, and stories, I’m reminded that gratitude is more than a feeling—it’s an action.
At United Way Southwest Louisiana, we see gratitude in action every day. It’s in the volunteers who pack Weekend Food Bags so children don’t go hungry over the weekend. It’s in the teachers who receive classroom support through our WriteStart Project, and in the local businesses who rally around our events and Initiatives because they truly care about their community. It’s in every donor, partner, and volunteer who steps up when their neighbors need them most.
This season, that spirit of thankfulness has inspired a brand-new Initiative called Set the Table. It provides grocery store gift cards to hardworking ALICE families—those who live above the poverty line but still struggle to afford the basics. We’re launching it this Thanksgiving to help families enjoy a holiday meal together, but our vision extends far beyond one day or one season.
Because families sharing a meal together is about more than food. It’s about connection, comfort, dignity, and the sense of normalcy that comes from sitting together—talking, laughing, and finding strength in one another. When a family faces a crisis like a house fire, illness, or sudden loss of income, something as simple as being able to gather for dinner can restore hope and stability in the middle of chaos.
And by providing a gift card to a grocery store families can shop for their own traditional holiday meal close to home. They can choose the foods that matter to them and cook the recipes that bring comfort and tradition to their table. This approach removes the stigma of receiving a pre-packed food box filled with unfamiliar items and replaces it with dignity, choice, and community.
Set the Table will continue year-round, allowing us to respond immediately when families across Southwest Louisiana face the unexpected. It’s another way United Way Southwest Louisiana continues to evolve—ready to meet needs as they arise, with compassion and speed.
From literacy kits that spark a love of reading, to laptops that help students prepare for college, to meals that bring families together, our community’s generosity continues to build something greater: hope.
This November, I encourage everyone to turn gratitude into impact. Volunteer. Give. Share our mission. Help us make sure no table in Southwest Louisiana goes empty.
At United Way Southwest Louisiana, we’re profoundly thankful for you—our donors, partners, and volunteers—who make this work possible. Together, we’re not only responding to immediate needs; we’re building a stronger, more resilient community for everyone who calls Southwest Louisiana home.
Join us today.
TEXT SETTHETABLE to 41444 or visit unitedwayswla.org/setthetable to help feed hope in Southwest Louisiana.
Denise Durel
President & CEO
United Way Southwest Louisiana