John Indest Executive Director of the Disch-Declouet Social Service Center
“I have always had a calling from Jesus to serve those most in need. I vividly recall the beginning of the Social Service Center more than 43 years ago. Father Disch and Mike and Bev Firmin started it and I greatly admired the work it did. This was continued and enhanced by Paul and Shirley DeClouet. Upon my retirement, when asked what I would do with my time, I told anyone inquiring that I would spend some of my time serving the poor and needy of Iberia Parish.”
Emergency Assistance to the People of Iberia Parish - Our Neighbors in Need
The Social Service Center has no paid staff and is run by over 35 dedicated, permanent volunteers. We also have temporary volunteers, such as seminarians who work at the center to get some small ideal of the scope of poverty and the problems of the poor in Iberia Parish and how the Social Service Center addresses this.
Our funding sources are: Individual donations (69%), Churches (13%), United Way (13%), Other (5%).
The median age of our clients is 50. Sixty percent of our clients are unable to work because of age or health. Many of our clients are homeless or transient. Over 1000 of the households we serve have children. Clients can get help once a month, but most of our clients come less than five times a year.
Board of Directors
(left to right) Carol Gaignard, Treasurer; Anesha Burgess, President; Alex DeClouet, Vice-President; John Indest,
Secretary and Executive Director