Most college students have experienced a lack in funds during their college years. Sometimes, it seems almost impossible to eat because of the fact that money is extremely limited. Fortunately, both St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Student Center and the Baptist Collegiate Ministry provide lunch for the Nicholls students on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Each Tuesday the CSC provides a home-cooked meal for anyone who would like to attend. Beginning at 10:30 a.m. and ending at 1:30 p.m., students are encouraged to join their peers at the CSC to enjoy lunch. This is more than a hunger satisfying meal. It offers everyone a chance to meet new people. And for those who have an extraordinary abundance of classes, meals are able to be taken “to go.”
“It’s a wonderful time of the day when students can escape and just be amongst friends,” Sue Blanchard, CSC event coordinator, said.
Father Alex Francisco launched this particular program in 1996. The lunch is provided by various Catholic churches in the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux. Members of each individual church will raise money and prepare the food themselves. They then come and serve at Nicholls. Some churches, however, want to help but can only raise the money and send it to the CSC, who then prepares the food.
Many Nicholls students attend Not On Bread Alone for more than just the free lunch. It gives them a chance to relax and visit. The program is a “breath of fresh air” for those who are stressing over classes.
“Not On Bread Alone provides a service to the Nicholls community and gives everyone an opportunity to fellowship together,” Philip Menard, a sophomore in computer information systems, said
The BCM is another “labor of love” organization on the Nicholls campus. On Thursdays they provide lunch for any NSU student or faculty member who would like to attend. The BCM’s Lunch Encounter program consists of two separate times which are 11:10 a.m. and 12:00 p.m.
In addition to the meal, the BCM also offers and encourages students to stay and enjoy various activities planned during the meals. Some activities are bible studies, music videos, and student talent demonstrations. The programs do not require extra time. They are put on while the students are eating.
“[Lunch Encounter] gives students an opportunity to meet with friends, enjoy a home-cooked meal, and attend a bible study. We consider it “food for the soul,” said Tim Lafleur, the BCM’s campus minister.
Various Baptist and non-denominational churches within a 30-mile radius provide the food for the Thursday lunches. Some drive for over an hour in order to offer this service to the Nicholls campus.
The BCM’s free lunch program was instituted in 1972. The first Lunch Encounter for the 2003-2004 academic year will be held today.
“Come to the BCM – where there is both physical and spiritual food that will enhance your life,” said Kevin Celestin, the president of the BCM and a general studies junior.
It is inevitable that these two organizations are providing one of the most welcome charitable acts on campus.
Father Jim Morrison said, “St. Thomas Church was built to be able to reach out to each student on the Nicholls campus. Our Not On Bread Alone program is probably the best vehicle to remind the students that this place is here for them.”
St. Thomas also has daily masses that all students are invited to attend. Additionally, the church has a Beignet Breakfast on Thursday morning between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m. The BCM holds “Phat Tuesday” each Tuesday nigh at 7:30 p.m. There is also a Fall Collegiate Conference that the BCM will be attending during the last weekend of September.
Both centers encourage students to get involved.