‘Karing Krewe’ throws a meal, three days a week

One way that long-time friends – some are former high school classmates and others a part of a Mardi Gras tailgating group – chose to help was to raise money to feed employees at East Jefferson General Hospital (EJGH) in Metairie three times a week. 
    

Debra Hymel made a phone call March 24 to her friend, Karen Andressen Copeland, a St. Mary’s Dominican alumna from Hymel’s class of ’79, to get the ball rolling. The first meal was delivered March 26.
 

Simultaneously, Hymel contacted her long-time Mardi Gras group of families with ties from Brother Martin, De La Salle, Jesuit, Mount Carmel and Dominican. These tailgaters came up with the philanthropic moniker of the “Karing Krewe.” 
    

They all quickly got word out to their family, friends and co-workers. Within days, the effort took off.
   

“It blossomed like the multiplying of the loaves (and fishes),” Hymel said. “It just went viral. Everybody wants to help but doesn’t know how. The beautiful part is that people have not hesitated to support the men and women on the front lines as they are taking care of our loved ones.”
    

Donors such as Hymel’s friend Beth Blosser thought this was a “great way to be part of the solution when you’re not a first responder.”
    

Another person parti­cipating in the effort said, “I saw RNs and other health care professionals struggling ... and wanted to reach out and do something for these individuals who are putting their lives on the line for all of us.”  
    

Mitzi Alario, another 1979 graduate of Dominican, posted the Karing Krewe effort on Facebook, enabling it to reach beyond friends and family. So far, 22 graduating classes at Dominican are participating.
 

Why East Jefferson?
    

Copeland happens to be a supervisor of the Referral and Credentialing Center at EJGH and suggested money collected go to feeding nurses on the day and night shifts of a COVID-19 unit. It would be one less thing they would have to worry about during this stressful time, she thought.
    

Copeland’s mom, Kay Andressen, a 1953 Dominican graduate, not only reached out to her friends but also contacted the Dominican Alumnae Association, and soon a post was made on the school’s website for everyone with Dominican connections to see. Andressen raised more than $1,000 in a short time, as did ’75 Dominican alum Janet Emig. Dominican class of ’82 graduate Laurie Beard raised $1,200 within days.
    

As of April 8, more than $7,500 had been raised from more than 50 families, Hymel said. This has allowed the Karing Krewe to deliver meals for day and night shifts on the fifth floor east of the hospital on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. In the 5-East unit, there are 15 nurses on the day shift, and 16 nurses at night. Hymel said the Karing Krewe averages spending between $900 to $1,000 a week to feed nurses. 
    

“I am such a small, little part of this whole thing,” Hymel said. “Somebody is ordering the food. Somebody is delivering the food. People are spreading the word, and people are collecting the money.”
    

Hymel said the meals have run the gamut from pizza and sandwiches with chips to Smoothie meal replacements and lasagna and salads, using local restaurants and caterers. Each meal is individually packaged. Water and fruit are also sent to the unit. Through an alumnae connection, Haydel’s Bakery stepped in one day and sent 100 individual mini pies.
    

“We’re trying to make two of the meals more homemade meals” (to offer a variety),” Hymel said. “Everybody is inspired to do this.”

Effort is easy
    

Because Copeland works at the hospital, she was able to coordinate the effort with Ashley Berluchaux, a hospital dietitian now coordinating food donations at EJGH. Berluchaux said the collective effort has been overwhelming.    
    

“We are distributing food to the COVID units first, but we typically have enough meals to give to other parts of the hospital,” Berluchaux said. “We’re trying to spread the love around.”
    

She said the nurses and others receiving the food are so appreciative.
    

“They say it’s nice to have a meal and not have to go to the grocery and create a meal,” Berluchaux said. “It’s a morale booster. It builds their spirit, knowing people care.” 
    

With each delivery, the Karing Krewe includes a little note thanking the nurses for their efforts with a heart on it and the donors’ names. Being a Dominican graduate, Hymel includes the graduation year of other Dominican graduates.
    

The Karing Krewe has a goal in mind –  to continue feeding the nurses for at least 90 days or throughout this whole crisis, if more money is donated. The deliveries will continue as long as they have donations. The Karing Krewe is documenting all purchases and keeping receipts so everyone knows where their money is going.
    

“It’s been a blessing just to watch all these people do this,” Hymel said about the donors. “There are lots of angels out there.”
    

Christine Bordelon can be reached at cbordelon@clarionherald.org.