When Hurricane Laura roared into Louisiana, winds over 150 miles per hour wreaked havoc on the small communities that make their home on the southwestern side of the state. Vinton, Louisiana, with only a few thousand residents, was one of many towns that suffered devastating damage. Much like Cajun Navy spirit, however, which brings private citizens together to conduct boat rescues following hurricanes, the people of Vinton are coming together to make sure all are getting the help they need.
“People are still trying to get electricity, the phones are down. Buildings are down to the ground. The damage is significant,” said Derek Gaspard, who owns local restaurant Insane Sausages with his wife Daicha Gaspard. “We still have a lot of people sleeping in tents. There are buildings that look like a warzone. It’s really that bad around here. I’ve got friends that took a complete loss on their house. I know people four to five miles down the road who lost everything. The only thing keeping us together is people helping other people.”
Insane Sausages sustained serious damage in the storm, but the kitchen remained operable. Gaspard and his wife made what was probably a life-changing decision when they chose to temporarily provide free meals for the community while it recovered. Along with staff volunteers, community volunteers, their own funds, and donations, Insane Sausages has been providing up to 700 meals every day in a drive-thru style line at the restaurant.
“People don’t need to worry about whether they are going to eat,” he said. “I can’t fix an a/c, I can’t roof your house. A hot meal in your stomach – that’s my wheelhouse. I can’t provide other things, but I can help people eat.”
He said, “I tell them, come to the restaurant. We’ll feed you. That’s what drove us. It just kept growing and growing. I couldn’t turn my back on my community.”
Austin-based Texas Urban Realty Owner Christine Chau visited the area shortly after the hurricane to drop off supplies and check on family, as part of relief efforts on behalf of the Asian Real Estate Association of America. When she heard what Insane Sausages was doing, she donated non-perishables as well as $500 through her company’s monthly Giving Back program. “This area is made up of small towns, and they are overlooked. They’re not getting any kind of help at all,” she said.
Chau, who also has restaurant experience, understands the commitment of Gaspard’s decision and wanted to help make sure people could count on a hot meal until they get back on their feet. “When you’ve lost your roof or have water damage or all the food in your freezer went bad because there is no electricity, it means a lot to have someone else take care of you for a little while. That’s what I’m trying to help this restaurant do.”
Gaspard said the $500 donation would help about 250 people get a hot meal.
Looters actually stole half of Gaspard’s personal belongings, as well as his father’s equipment, from a warehouse shortly after the hurricane – but that didn’t slow him down. “We fought through our pain,” he said, “but sometimes you have to think about others.”
“We’re proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish with our small operation. It’s worth it for us. The people who really need it, that’s what matters to us. When you get people who truly appreciate it, that’s what really matters,” he said. “Honestly, it means more for us to do it than people will ever know.”
In the news, he said, “You only see the bad stories. You don’t see the good stories. We have a lot of good. It gives you a lot of hope for humanity. Race, creed, politics … none of that means anything when a disaster hits. None of that matters. Anyone who walks in, all you think about is this person is in need and what to do about it.”
Featured in the video are Insane Sausages Co-owner Daicha Gaspard and Texas Urban Realty Owner and Broker Christine Chau.
To learn more about Insane Sausages, visit http://insanesausages.com/
Texas Urban Realty and Texas Urban Property Management donate $500 each month to a non-profit or other organization through the Giving Back program. Non-profits may apply for consideration for the donation from the Texas Urban Realty Giving Back page. It’s also required that organizations make a short video about why they should be chosen and tag @texasurbanrealty on Facebook in the post.
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