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Big Brothers Big Sisters’ Executive Director, Kalli Christ, and RADER’s Director of Growth, Whitney Savoie, joined Jan Swift to discuss how the annual Acadiana Po-Boy Festival pandemic has pivoted in its mission to help the non-profit Big Brothers Big Sisters of Acadiana raise much-needed funding.
Over the past five years, the Acadiana Po-Boy Festival has raised more than $30,000 for Big Brothers Big Sisters, all due to the generous organizational efforts of Social Entertainment. With the COVID shutdown limiting the number of people who can attend events, Kalli Christ says that it has been necessary to “pivot” as 2020’s challenges have unfolded.
RADER stepped up to partner with Big Brothers Big Sisters and assist in holding a safe Acadiana Po-Boy Festival that will take place from September 1st through September 30th, 2020.
The “Pandemic Edition” of the Po-boy Festival is divided into two events: first, a Po-Boy Tasting, and second, an online Fundraising Art Raffle, which is designed to support local restaurants while it also supports Big Brothers Big Sisters of Acadiana. With the shutdown still in full force, RADER felt this was an excellent opportunity to promote our local restaurants while also aiding in efforts to fund BBBS.
Ten Lafayette restaurants are participating and will sell their signature “special” po-boy this month. $1 per po-boy sold will be donated to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Acadiana. Participating restaurants include:
- Poupart’s Bakery
- C’est Bon Manger
- Acadian Superette
- Central Pizza & Bar
- Pop’s Poboys
- Dean-O’s Pizza
- Broaddus Burgers
- Tchoup’s Midcity Smokehouse
- Black Café
- Johnson’s Boucaniere
The second part of the festival this year is an online Facebook Fundraising Art Raffle to support Big Brothers Big Sisters of Acadiana. Your donation of any amount gives you a chance to win the Official 2020 Acadiana Po-Boy painting, created by local artist Trent Oubre. You can contribute here.
Social Entertainment will officially merge the Acadiana Po-Boy & Plate Lunch Festival into one event moving forward. The inaugural Acadiana Po-Boy & Plate Lunch Festival is scheduled to take place on Saturday, April 3, 2021, in Downtown Lafayette.
It cost approximately $1200 per child per year to offer services to mentor, tutor, and work with a child that is under the umbrella of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Acadiana. Volunteers do not need to underwrite the cost involved in being part of the program, but many components such as background checks and training must be covered through the fundraising efforts of BBBS.
“For more than 115 years, Big Brothers Big Sisters has operated under the belief that inherent in every child is the ability to thrive. As the nation’s largest donor and volunteer supported mentoring network, Big Brothers Big Sisters makes meaningful, monitored matches between adult volunteers (“Bigs”) and children (“Littles”), ages 6 through 18, in communities across the country. They develop positive relationships that have a direct and lasting effect on the lives of young people.” There is no better gift that you can give to a young person than a hand up to a better life through your time and experience.
For more information on the mission of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Acadiana, please visit https://www.acadianabigs.com/ or their Facebook page. There are about 150 volunteers working with “littles.” The organization has a waiting list for children looking to partner with “bigs.” Please consider giving your time and talents and make a difference in our community and in the life of a young child who needs you!
