Sorority donates 17,000 meals to Barry victims after canceling convention due to storm

Mahira Dayal
Sorority members donated food to feed thousands of storm victims after their convention was canceled (Credit: Facebook)
Sorority members donated food to feed thousands of storm victims after their convention was canceled (Credit: Facebook)

A sorority forced to cancel its convention because of Tropical Storm Barry managed to turn a bad situation around by donating 17,000 meals to people impacted by the storm.

Delta Sigma Theta had planned to host its biennial 54th national convention in New Orleans, La., from Wednesday to Sunday. However, after heeding warnings from the National Hurricane Center, the group announced it would cancel the remainder of events on Friday.

“Initially more than 20,000 members, guests, friends and vendors were expected to attend this convention,” according to a statement released by the sorority, and 17,000 meals had been prepared for guests expected to attend the event at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center.

“There was inordinate amounts of food that would have been wasted,” National President and CEO Beverly E. Smith said in a statement.

Delta Sigma Theta asked the venue’s catering company, Centerplate, to make sure the meals were redistributed. As a result, Centerplate donated the meals to Second Harvest Food Bank of South Louisiana.

While representatives from Centerplate did not immediately respond to Yahoo Lifestyle’s request for comment, the Second Harvest Food Bank of South Louisiana posted a video to Facebook showing the unloading process of the donated food.

“When Delta Sigma Theta canceled their convention due to Tropical Storm Barry, they asked their Convention Center caterer Centerplate to find a home for the 17,000 meals that would have gone to waste,” the post reads. “We were honored to be able to rescue these meals, and will distribute them to storm victims & others in need starting Monday.”

“We are delighted that Centerplate donated the food we purchased making it available as a result of us terminating our convention early,” Smith said in a statement.

Representatives from Second Harvest Food Bank and Delta Sigma Theta did not immediately respond to Yahoo Lifestyle’s requests for comment.

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