Omega Protein opens fundraising for Hurricane Laura-stricken area of Louisiana

Omega Protein is working with the Cameron Lions Club to raise money for residents of Cameron Parish, Louisiana, which was devastated when Hurricane Laura came ashore on 27 August with 150 mile-per-hour winds.

For decades, Cameron was a homeport for Omega’s menhaden catcher vessels, and the company on Tuesday, 15 September, set up and will contribute to a GoFundMe campaign to pay for relief and recovery efforts in the community.

Menhaden companies were a big part of the local economy for 65 years, and Omega had a fishing facility there from the mid-1960s until the end of 2013.

“Cameron was a wonderful home for us for nearly half a century,” Omega Protein Director of Public Affairs Ben Landry said. “Even though we no longer operate in Cameron, the people there are still our friends and neighbors, and we will not turn our back on them during their time of need.”

All money raised through the GoFundMe campaign will go directly to the Cameron Lions Club and their charitable arm, the Cameron Educational and Charitable Endeavors Inc. Omega officials say they are working to involve employees across parent company Cooke, Inc. in the U.S. and Canada to spread awareness of the damage to the region and help raise money.

Rated a fourth-category storm, Hurricane Laura was the most powerful hurricane to strike Louisiana since 1856, with a storm surge that peaked at 17 feet east of Cameron. Local fishing families reported many lost both their boats and homes to the storm’s destructive weather.

“Cameron Parish has sustained incredible damage from this storm,” Louisiana State Representative Ryan Bourriaque, who represents Cameron Parish, said in a joint statement with Omega. “But with the help of good neighbors like Omega Protein and the generosity of people everywhere, we’ll rebuild this community and get it back on its feet.”

As of mid-afternoon on Thursday, 17 September, the campaign had raised USD 2,875 (EUR 2,482) toward a USD 10,000 (EUR 8,445) goal. 

Photo courtesy of Omega Protein/GoFundMe