November 16th, 1992: A Very Special Day
November 16th, 2022 marks the 30th Anniversary of the M&N (Merlin & Nora) Augustine Foundation. On this special occasion, I feel that I should give you a little history of how and why the foundation was established. I would also like to give you an update on the many accomplishments of the Foundation that would not have been possible without the support of each and everyone of you.
November 12, 1992 was a significant day, because it marked the 62nd Wedding Anniversary of my dear parents Merlin and Nora. While both of them were living in a nursing home and suffering from dementia, I believe that it was through the mercy of God that they were able to comprehend what we had set out to do. My father and mother always believed that loving thy neighbor or helping anyone in need was among the prime requirements of Jesus, when he spoke about what it meant to be a Christian. Growing up I did not understand why mom and daddy insisted on helping so many people when we had so very little. My father was a janitor and earned about $150 per month, yet he was able to find a way to send all five of his children to college. One of my sisters is a nun and attended St. Mary’s Academy which is often referred to as the “Notre Dame” of Louisiana. My parents truly led by example. They were the perfect example of what it meant to be a Christian. It is in their honor that we established the M&N Augustine Foundation thirty years ago.
Over the course of the past thirty years, together we have been able to accomplish some amazing things. There have been thousands of individuals who have volunteered by giving of their prayers, time, talent, and/or treasure. Many of these individuals are no longer with us, but their presence is keenly felt as we move forward and help just as my mother and father did. While we do not seek recognition or a “pat-on-the-back”, our organization has received 22 Distinguished Awards. Those awards include but are not limited to: Fayetteville Helping Hands Award, The Office of the Governor's Volunteer Service Award, The Chamber of Commerce Award, JCPenny’s Golden Neighbor Award, and Wal-Mart's Distinguished Visionary Award. One thing that we make clear, we are not doing this great work to receive any recognition or award. I believe that our volunteers are the ones who should receive the awards, you are truly the hands that make our organization so successful. A day does not go by that I do not feel that my mother and father are still leading the foundation. I am simply the instrument that carries out their values.
Through the many challenges that we have faced including COVID 19, we have never closed our doors. Our Caring Kitchen has been open and we prepare over 250 meals per week. We have moved to a “Pick and Go” style of meal pick-up. This system has allowed us to continue to serve food to those in greatest need, while keeping you “our volunteers” safe. We look forward to when we are able to gather again around the table. It is with your support that we are able to continue to spread love and help our neighbors, just as my mother and father taught me so many years ago.
As we ponder our 30th anniversary and what we have accomplished together, the poetic words of Father Smith, a Catholic Priest and one of my favorite teachers who often quoted this poem to me and many other young men: History faithfully replicates what poets have always known. Life is brief but indelible success and failure are imposters and those who find true meaning in their lives do so with their heads, their hearts, and their hands to create that special moment when one human being serves another.
As we reflect on our 30 years of service, just think about those “special moments” that we have created together, where human beings serve another. It is through the generosity of our volunteers that we have created millions of special moments. Whether this be at our Annual Easter Feed, One-on-One Counseling, our Caring Kitchen, or by the financial assistance a family needed to bury their loved ones. We have answered the prayers of many for 30 years by creating special moments.
The Foundation will continue to honor Merlin and Nora Augustine, my precious parents for at least the next 100 years and create many many more “special moments”.
We thank you for the devotion each and everyone of you bring. All that we have accomplished would not have been possible without your generous and kind hearts. As we approach the Thanksgiving Season, from the bottom of our hearts, I want to Thank You for walking on this very special journey with me and my family. May each of us be especially blessed for truly living Jesus truest challenge to humanity “to love our neighbors, as we do ourselves”.
God bless,
Merlin J. Augustine. Jr.