The prolonged drought is causing an increased need for food and water across Acadiana.
Ben Broussard, Chief of External Affairs for Catholic Charities of Acadiana, said his colleagues are distributing between seven and ten cases of water, daily.
"We're serving 700-800 meals per day," Broussard said. "We've seen increased need, increased capacity in our programs and it's directly due to the heat."
While the hundred-degree temperatures continue in Lafayette, Broussard said his team is providing donations as if they were responding to a disaster.
"There are more people on the street right now than we've seen over the past, three years," Broussard said. "But, the heat is not helping; it's dangerously hot outside."
Kayla Stansbury and Kristi Fredieu said they enjoy donating to Catholic Charities and learned about the community's needs through their podcast, "Can I Getta Amen."
"You can just step outside and you can gain just one ounce of empathy that people out here are really just thristy for water and for love and just to be seen," Fredieu said.
Stansbury said she and Fredieu can't say no to Catholic Charities or the people the organizations aims to serve.
"If they need water, we get water from donating ourselves or asking our friends or family to chime in, or our church, St. Leo," Stansbury said.
Anyone interested in making water, canned good or monetary donations is encouraged to bring items to the Disaster Warehouse, located at 403 Ambassador Caffery Parkway in Lafayette.
