Chef Simone Victoria’s New Orleans Job Corps Culinary class served up a local favorite- red beans and rice- to 150 poor and homeless as part of Make a Difference Day activities at St. Jude Community Center near the city’s French Quarter on Friday. Creole Jambalaya, salad and buttered rolls were also on the menu in this city know for its excellent cuisine.

“Actually it made me feel like a better person,” said Culinary student Darren Bartman. “When I was younger, we were very poor and it was very embarrassing when we were the people the school food drives would give canned goods to. My mom was a single parent struggling to pay the bills and so it was really nice to be on the giving end for once instead of the receiving end.”

Colleen Coleman, a beginning Culinary student, said this was not her first time serving the poor and  homeless but she never tires of the experience. “I bussed and flipped tables and cleaned. I helped feed the poor in Texas before moving to New Orleans and it makes me feel great.”

Darren Bartman says the event made the day of every patron he spoke to. “We actually had a veteran come up and he was telling  us about his time in the military. He had about one-third of his leg amputated and he was so grateful that a group of young adults had organized this meal because he has been through a lot in the past few years.”