Loyola students embarked on a pilgrimage to distribute “blessing bags” to the homeless community in the French Quarter on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
Student volunteers for the event gathered in the Magis Lounge on Jan. 20 at 10 a.m. to assemble small backpacks known as “blessing bags”. The bags were filled with essential items such as toiletries, non-perishable foods, socks, gloves, emergency blankets, ponchos and a resource page with a list of temporary shelters for the homeless community to lodge before the winter storm hit and then distributed these bags to the homeless until 3 p.m.
Juleea Berthelot, a senior sociology and psychology double major, said that the best part of volunteering was seeing the solidarity of the community,
“These are the moments when the community is brought together and you really get to see who the real ones are, who really dares to struggle for a better and more just world,” Berthelot said.
Minister of Social Justice and organizer of the event Lindy Brasher said the outreach from Loyola and its students is a significant step to addressing poverty and uplifting the most vulnerable in society and the wider community.
With the upcoming Super Bowl LIX and Mardi Gras parades, Gov. Jeff Landry utilized police sweeps to relocate the homeless from their encampments near the Caesars Superdome into a temporary shelter with a capacity of 200 people. According to The Associated Press, New Orleans city officials have requested $6 million from the state to provide long term housing and services to the unhoused. Gov. Landry, however, has opted to use $16.2 million to fund this temporary shelter and its amenities. Those who did not accept Gov. Landry’s offer expressed their frustration as many lost their belongings and shelter to these sweeps.
“With all the political changes happening in our country, there’s a feeling of powerlessness,” said Sarah Meraugh, a graduate assistant to Student Life and Ministry, “I wanted to take action to actually feel like I’m doing something positive for the community.”
Brasher hopes to establish the pilgrimage as an annual tradition at Loyola to honor. King’s legacy of social justice and advocacy while giving aid to the homeless or those experiencing hardship.
“I also believe we shouldn’t limit our acts of service to one day each year.” she said. “Dr. King’s message calls us to a life of continuous service, to care for brothers and sisters and all members of creation each moment, each day, and in every season.”
