BATON ROUGE – For over a decade, the Grow Louisiana Coalition (GLAC) has proudly hosted Industry Day, an annual event that brings together hundreds of energy workers from across the state, along with leadership from energy companies, their affiliates and elected officials to celebrate the vital role of the energy sector in Louisiana’s economy and future.
This year’s event was scheduled for May 7 in Baton Rouge, just steps away from the State Capitol. Due to severe weather concerns, GLAC made the decision to cancel the event the day before, prioritizing the safety of attendees.
Despite the cancellation, the spirit of Industry Day lived on.
With catering already prepared for hundreds of guests, GLAC quickly redirected the meals to St. Vincent de Paul of Greater Baton Rouge, which serves 250-500 individuals daily with hot lunches and to-go dinners.
Sharay’s Southern Catering had prepared food for 400 people and drinks for 600, including fried fish, finger sandwiches, jambalaya, fried chicken wings, Swedish meatballs, honey bacon deviled eggs, smothered green beans, coleslaw, sweet rolls and bread pudding.
“The energy companies in Louisiana have always invested in the communities where they operate,” said Marc Ehrhardt, executive director of GLAC. “These companies have been our neighbors for over 100 years and have supported generations of Louisianians. Grow Louisiana Coalition is the voice of Louisiana’s energy workforce, and supporting our energy industry means supporting Louisiana families. We are proud to be able to support Baton Rouge with this food donation and to be able to feed hundreds of community members.”
The donation was warmly received by the team at St. Vincent de Paul.
“When Grow Louisiana Coalition called and said they wanted to donate the food, it was truly a blessing,” said Denise Terrance, Dining Room Director at St. Vincent de Paul of Greater Baton Rouge. “We take everything that we have and everything that is donated, and we give it back with love.”
“Today’s donation is going to feed the hungry, it’s going to take care of the needy, and it’s going to take care of myself and my staff as well. It allows us time to prepare for future meals since we serve meals every day, 365 days a year to everyone that walks through our doors,” Terrance continued. “This special meal, food that our guests don’t usually get, will make our people happy. And when they know that somebody gave up what they had, just for them to have, it shows them how much someone cares. It’s amazing.”
Connie Planche with St. Vincent de Paul also shared how meaningful this donation is to the organization’s operations and guests.
“This food will feed several hundred men, women and children who may otherwise go hungry,” said Planche. “Our guests will enjoy these meals over the next several days. We cannot do the work we do without the support of the community. We want to thank the Grow Louisiana Coalition for reaching out to us and blessing us with the wonderful food that they brought to us.”
While this year’s Industry Day was unable to proceed, the event’s purpose remains clear: to honor the nearly 400,000 Louisianans—from engineers and offshore crews to truck drivers and operators—who power the state and the nation. According to economist Dr. Stephen Barnes, the oil and gas industry supports 25% of Louisiana’s economy.
GLAC continues to advocate for an “all of the above” energy strategy—supporting traditional energy jobs, encouraging innovation, attracting investment, funding coastal restoration, and creating opportunity for future generations.
Grow Louisiana Coalition’s Industry Day was planned in partnership with the Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil & Gas Association (LMOGA), the Louisiana Oil and Gas Association (LOGA), the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry (LABI), the Louisiana Chemical Association (LCA) and Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) to celebrate the unity, innovation and resilience of Louisiana’s energy community.
About Grow Louisiana Coalition
With more than 110,000 supporters, the mission of the Grow Louisiana Coalition is to raise awareness of and to rally support behind the state’s energy industry in order to create a viable future for its citizens. More information is available at www.GrowLouisianaCoalition.com.
###