Thanksgiving in a Basket

Frances Anderson with Greater King Triumph Church in Lutcher, LA, and Allen Brown, Operator 1 at Imperial Sugar, Gramercy (on right).

Each year for the last 40 years, Imperial Sugar Company has donated baskets full of Thanksgiving goodies to the needy.

This year was no exception, as a small team of employees from Imperial’s sugar refining facility in Gramercy, La., put together 100 baskets for this Thanksgiving holiday.

Tracy Dicharry, senior human resource administrator at the Gramercy plant, has led the charitable effort for 20 years running. “It’s a great thing we get to do for those in need during the holidays,” said Dicharry. “It’s something that brings us a little closer to the community.”

According to Dicharry, each basket includes a turkey, two cans of peas, a can of yams, and a tw0-pound bag each of granulated, dark brown and powdered white sugar – all compliments of Imperial.

The baskets were delivered to 15 churches in the Gramercy area – about 35 miles northwest of New Orleans – for further distribution, with several going to a local supermarket that gives food to the poor on a daily basis.