Before the school year starts, parents begin scouring stores with school supply lists in hand to make sure their kids start the year prepared. For families in the Acadiana area facing housing instability or hardship, that basic preparation can be out of reach.
The Gifting Grace Project has spent the past six years closing that gap. The nonprofit’s Pack the Backpack initiative is currently underway, collecting new backpacks, school supplies, uniforms, shoes and other essentials for homeless and vulnerable students throughout Acadiana.
Last year’s effort set the bar high. In 2025, Gifting Grace Project more than doubled its reach in St. Mary Parish, serving 130 children, up from 50 the year before. The organization even distributed student care kits with hygiene essentials and snacks with each backpack. St. Mary Parish didn’t yet have the established infrastructure the initiative needed to scale, which meant higher costs to build it from the ground up.
A $5,000 grant from the Community Foundation of Acadiana’s Affiliate Grant Program gave Gifting Grace Project room to cover those costs and expand impact.
“The Community Foundation of Acadiana’s decision to exceed our funding request was critical in overcoming this barrier, allowing us to surpass our original goals and reach more children than anticipated,” said Gifting Grace Project Founder & Executive Director David Owens. “This reinforced an important lesson: while community engagement continues to grow, strong funding partners can play a pivotal role in both stabilizing and expanding impact.”
The Affiliate Grants Program is funded by generous support of individuals, families, and businesses who have contributed endowment funds to CFA and believe in creating lasting local change. The program also supports 501(c)(3) organizations in Evangeline, Iberia, St. Landry and Vermilion Parishes, each eligible for awards up to $5,000.
Gifting Grace Project is looking to build on last year’s success this year. To learn how to donate supplies or find a drop-off location for this year’s Pack the Backpack, visit Gifting Grace Project’s website.
About Community Foundation of Acadiana
CFA is one of south Louisiana’s premier philanthropic organizations benefiting our region, with a focus on the parishes of Acadia, Evangeline, Iberia, Lafayette, St. Landry, St. Mary, St. Martin, and Vermilion. CFA’s core purpose is to build legacies and improve communities by connecting generous people to the causes they care about. Since its inception in 2000, CFA has realized cumulative gifts exceeding $431 million and has made cumulative grants of more than $256 million. You can learn more at www.cfacadiana.org.