RUSTON, La. ? Louisiana Tech was one of only about 30 organizations nationwide chosen to team up with Lift Up America and Tyson Foods in an effort to provide food for the less fortunate prior to the holiday season.
Lift Up America has joined Tech along with Tyson Foods, Give the Gift of Sight, Starkey Hearing Foundation and Interstate Batteries to help families during the holidays.
Tyson Foods donated 15,000 pounds of chicken to the cause, and approximately 40 Louisiana Tech student-athletes and representing all 16 NCAA sanctioned programs and Athletic Department Staff members helped distribute the food to charitable organizations Thursday morning.
"Lift Up America was created two years ago to help bring sports organizations together to help the less fortunate," said Tech athletic director Jim Oakes. "We have learned 20 percent of the population of Lincoln Parrish is at or below the poverty line. So there is a tremendous need in this area for the services provided by Lift Up America, and we are proud to be a part of it."
Eight universities across the nation were chosen to participate in Lift Up America, with Tech being the only school from Louisiana, and 18 professional sports organizations are also taking part this year.
Lift Up America is just one of many ways Tech student-athletes give back to the Ruston community. Jessica Elson, a senior softball player, said it is nice to be able to give back to Ruston when the university and the area have been able to give so much to the athletes.
"This is a great opportunity to give back to the community," Elson said. "With our busy schedules, it’s hard to find time to give back. This is a great thing for (Louisiana Tech) to be a part of. It really puts it in perspective, especially during the holidays, that not everyone is as fortunate as we are."
Seventeen churches and charitable organizations came to pick up food and batteries Thursday morning at Joe Aillet Stadium. Close to 8,000 people will be aided by those churches and charities.
Jonathan Mire, a freshman baseball player for Louisiana Tech, said helping that many people in the area always makes him feel better about helping out.
"It feels good to help people out like this. It’s great for Tech to do something like this for people," Mire said. "It makes me appreciate the things I have."
The local organizations that are helped Lift Up America and Louisiana Tech distribute the food and batteries were Salvation Army, Methodist Children’s Home, Teen Challenge, Head Start, D.A.R.T., Elisha Ministries, Volunteers of America, Christian Community Action, Ruston Jaycees, First Baptist Churh of Ruston, Temple Baptist Churt of Ruston, the Baptist Children’s Home, Swanson Correctional Center, Green Oaks Correction Home, Zion Traveler Baptist Church, St. Peter’s Church and Mt. Zion Baptist Church.