The Joe LeBlanc Food Pantry distributed 474,000 pounds of food in 2025, providing thousands of meals and support services to food-insecure residents across Webster Parish, according to pantry director Jessica Lewis.
The figures are part of the pantry’s newly released 2025 Impact Statement, which outlines the scope of its community-funded efforts over the past year.
The pantry is reported to have distributed 474,000 pounds of food, gave out 5,688 food bags and provided 8,473 meals through its Summer Feeding program. The pantry also delivered 1,560 senior food boxes and was supported by seven food drives that helped keep shelves stocked year-round.
Lewis said 415 volunteers served as bag packers in 2025, with 90% of them teenagers. The pantry reported total spending of $84,422.87 for the year, all funded through community donations. Organizers also noted that more than 240 prayer requests were received and prayed over.
“This is what it looks like when a community shows up y’all,” Lewis said. “It’s prayer requests lifted. It’s kids eating through the summer. It’s seniors feeling remembered. It’s faith in action.”
The pantry, which has served Webster Parish since 2007, assists families and individuals living in food-insecure households through monthly food distributions and special programs.
Looking ahead, Lewis said the organization is preparing for a move into a new building, along with renovations and expanded programming.
“As we look ahead to a new building, renovations, and expanded programs, we’re grateful beyond words for everyone who made 2025 possible,” she said.
The pantry has also launched its main fundraising campaigns for the year, allowing donors to direct contributions toward specific needs. Current campaigns include general monthly operations, costs associated with renovating the new building, and an early start on the “Feed a Family 2026” initiative. Additional fundraising for the Summer Feeding program will be announced once plans are finalized, Lewis said.
“In 2025, we distributed an average of 40,000 pounds of food every month,” Lewis said. “That food didn’t just appear. It came from generosity, planning, faith, and a whole lot of hard work.”
“This work is funded by love. Literally,” she added. “Every grocery run. Every special program. Every emergency need met.”
Lewis said the impact statement highlights how a fully community-funded ministry can address hunger at the local level.
“Thank you for being part of a community that refuses to let hunger go unseen,” she said.
