HOPEDALE, La. -- At the Oil Spill Response Center in Hopedale, 1,400 workers a day are provided meals in a major cafeteria-style operation, and BP has hired local restaurants to do the cooking at a time when the spill is affecting their regular business.
"The waitresses, they're saying my tips are not as good as they were last week, or the week before, because the people are just not coming int. And having this work, and putting my girls to work, and they're happy as can be,” said Tommy Tommaseo of Rocky & Carlo's restaurant
While the workers are feasting on shrimp po-boys, Lenore Assevado with Catholic Charities is packing up the extra food to be delivered to those who can't work, or are confined to their homes by medical problems – as many as 50 people a day.
"People are hungry every day, you know, they're just hungry. They don't have the means to get it for themselves,” she said.
Lenore works in conjunction with a St. Bernard charity called Santa on The Bayou.
"We've been doing a Christmas program for needy families, needy children for 12 years,” said Anthony Fernandez, a former sheriff of the parish.
But the oil spill gave Santa On The Bayou a new mission, helping the victims with everything from food to clothing, even prescriptions.
"Within days of Wildlife and the state closing the fishing season, because at that point things went to a crisis, because all these fishermen didn't know what they would do, what was going to happen,” Fernandez said.
They are even providing badly needed counseling for those whose lives are now overwhelmed by uncertainty.
"We're getting a lot of concerns, We've heard concerns from fishermen concerned with losing their oats, people concerned about how their family is going to cope with this,” said Pastor Keith Stone of the St. Bernard Pastors Coalition.
In the Spirit of Community, WWL-TV is working with United Way to help collect the donations needed to help oil spill victims.
"We made everyone understand that being here, that they weren't alone,” Fernandez said.
"We're getting somebody with a full belly, and they're satisfied. They can wake up in the morning, and they know I'm going to come back,” Assevado said.
It is a case where neighbors are helping neighbors cope with a crisis, where a meal can make all the difference.
"I been living down here almost all my life. I can't even basically go back to work with the oil. I don't know what to do. I'm happy people put me in so I can get free food. I'm glad that at least got friends,” said Derek Smith, a Florrisant resident.
To find out about helping United Way help the oil spill victims, you can call the agency by simply dialing 211, or click here.
