Louisiana Blue, Healthy Blue and Entergy Louisiana Support Second Million Meals for MLK Campaign
Employee volunteers will pack half a million meals for food banks

(Baton Rouge, LA) – Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana (Louisiana Blue), Healthy Blue Louisiana and Entergy Louisiana are teaming up to sponsor the second Million Meals for MLK campaign and volunteer to restock shelves at food banks around the state during January. 

Employees and their families will volunteer at nine sponsored events in each region of Louisiana during January, in an extended recognition of Martin Luther King Jr. Day – National Day of Service. Volunteers will pack more than 500,000 “oh seaux good” red beans and rice meal kits that include Louisiana-grown rice donated by Cajun Country Rice in Crowley. 

The meals sponsored by these three organizations are part of the second Million Meals for MLK campaign from Volunteer Louisiana and Feeding Louisiana. Launched in January 2025, the inaugural campaign united communities across Louisiana, enabling Feeding Louisiana’s five regional food banks to provide more than two million meals to families in need. Volunteers and sponsors hope to meet or increase that success in 2026. 

“Louisiana Blue, Entergy Louisiana and Healthy Blue Louisiana are proud to be long-time supporters of the work Volunteer Louisiana and Feeding Louisiana do to address food insecurity in our state,” said Michael Tipton, Louisiana Blue Foundation president and vice president, Community Relations. “Louisiana is nationally ranked third for child and senior hunger, and fourth for overall hunger. As part of fulfilling our mission to improve the health and lives of Louisianians, we recognize the importance of making sure families have consistent access to nutritious meals. Stocking supplies at Louisiana’s food banks, especially at the beginning of the year when they are running low and it’s harder to meet needs after the busy holiday season, is a meaningful way we do that.” 

Entergy Louisiana and Louisiana Blue signed on as the first corporate sponsors of the Million Meals for MLK campaign in honor of their recognition as Louisiana businesses included among The Civic 50. This is an annual designation from the Points of Light Foundation of the 50 most community-minded companies in America. Louisiana Blue has been recognized for the past seven years, and Entergy has been recognized for the past 10 years. 

See results from the first Million Meals for MLK campaign in this video (1:25).

January 2026 Pack Party Events Schedule  

Louisiana Blue, Entergy Louisiana and Healthy Blue Louisiana volunteer pack parties will take place in each region of the state during January. Media are invited to attend the pack parties during the times listed, film video or take photos, and interview representatives of the sponsoring organizations or participating food banks and nonprofits. If events are rescheduled because of weather or other circumstances, Louisiana Blue will issue a media alert with the updated details. 

While these volunteer events are for Louisiana Blue, Entergy Louisiana and Healthy Blue Louisiana employees and their families, there are many ways Louisianians can share, serve and support the Million Meals for MLK campaign. Visit MillionMealsforMLK.org to find events near you, donate to your local food bank and see how you can help the state collect 1 million or more meals this January. 

Wednesday, Jan. 7: Lake Charles
Burton Coliseum
7001 Gulf Highway, Lake Charles, LA 70607
Media availability: 10-11 a.m. 

Tuesday, Jan.13: Lafayette
Martin Luther King Recreation Center
309 Cora St., Lafayette, LA 70501-1773
Media availability: 10-11 a.m.

Thursday, Jan. 15: Thibodaux
Good Samaritan Food Bank - Thibodaux
100 Burch St. Thibodaux, LA 70301
Media availability: 2:30 – 3:30 p.m.

Monday, Jan. 19: Baton Rouge (Martin Luther King Jr. Day)
Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank
10600 South Choctaw Dr. Baton Rouge, LA 70815
Media availability: 10-11 a.m. 
Special guests from LSU Athletics will volunteer 

Monday, Jan. 19: New Orleans (Martin Luther King Jr. Day)
Dillard University’s Dent Hall Natatorium
2601 Gentilly Blvd., New Orleans, LA 70122
Media availability: 10-11 a.m. 
Special guests from New Orleans Saints, local Divine Nine Greek organizations will volunteer

Wednesday, Jan. 21: Monroe
Monroe Civic Center, B. D. Robinson Conference Hall
401 Lea Joyner Memorial Expressway, Monroe, LA 71201
Media availability: 10-11 a.m.
Special guest Miss Louisiana will volunteer 

Tuesday, Jan. 27: Shreveport
Bossier Council on Aging
706 Bearkat Dr. Bossier City, LA 71111
Media availability: 10-11 a.m.

Thursday, Jan. 29: Alexandria
Food Bank of Central Louisiana
3223 Baldwin Ave. Alexandria, LA 71301
Media availability: 10-11 a.m.

Friday, Jan. 30: Crowley 
Notre Dame High School of Acadia Parish
910 N Eastern Ave., Crowley, LA 70526
Media availability: 10-11 a.m.

Follow Louisiana Blue on social media @MyLouisianaBlue to see photos and posts from the pack parties and updates as volunteers make progress toward packing half a million meals.  

About Feeding Louisiana

Feeding Louisiana: 64 parishes, 5 food banks, 1 mission. Feeding Louisiana’s mission is to be a unified voice for Louisiana's hunger by providing short-term food relief while seeking long-term solutions to hunger through advocacy, education, and leadership. Serving all 64 Louisiana parishes through more than 1,000 community partners and food pantries, the Feeding Louisiana network includes the Food Bank of Central Louisiana, the Food Bank of Northeast Louisiana, the Food Bank of Northwest Louisiana, the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank, and Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans and Acadiana. Learn more at FeedingLouisiana.org.