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LAPLACE — When the curve is flattened, Louisiana’s new cases sharply decline and the coronavirus threat is all said and done, it will be up to the community to come together to help those in need regain a sense of normalcy.

Gordon Taylor of the Rotary Club of LaPlace and Pastor Michael Day of the Living Way United Pentecostal Church recognize that the current needs of the community are financial. By establishing care funds, they hope to ease the financial burden families face while delivering hope for the future.

Day, who is also vice president of Rotary Club of LaPlace, said the care funds will start small and expand to include more members of the community.

“We’re going to try to help out with some gas cards or Walmart gift cards,” Day said. “We’ve also discussed helping the elderly, picking up medications and picking up some groceries for them. We’re working with Rotary Club as well, and we’ve already made a donation to start a fund with them.”

The care fund will first assist members of Living Way Church and the Rotary Club. As more funds come in, Day would like to see the effort expand to assist first responders and other members of the community with a demonstrated need.

“Most of it is going to happen after this stuff settles down, Day said. “We realize there are going to be so many people that have needs. We won’t be able to help them all, but if we can help a few, maybe it will make a little dent in the masses.”

The Living Way Church care fund will receive a percentage of the donations from congregation members. Donations from church services also go toward the monthly church budget to cover the cost of lights, insurance and mortgage.

With the coronavirus putting a halt to group gatherings, services have shifted to an online streaming platform. Day said Living Way is also coordinating conference calls for the entire church. Those virtual communications opened to the community Tuesday night for an evening of prayer.

“We’re also going to do daily vlogs and short recordings on Facebook just to get out words of encouragement, hope and inspiration,” Day said as he shared two pieces of scripture that have recently been impressed on his heart: “The day that you hear my voice, we’ll have peace, and we’ll not be troubled for fear of harm” ; “Be still and know that I am God.”

“We want people to have peace and not panic; faith and not fear,” Day said.

Those who want to contribute directly to the care fund are welcome to send donations addressed to Living Way Church to P.O. Box 836, LaPlace LA 70069. Prayer requests can be emailed to pastorday1987@aol.com.

Taylor said Rotary Club is eager to support the community by providing goods and services, whether it is financial support or picking up food from the grocery store.

“We realize it’s going to be tight right now with funds going forward,” Taylor said. “Some people may be out of work right now with so many jobs closing down. We’re seeing if we can take care of the needs of our people.”

Taylor is sending a letter to the Rotary members asking them if they have any special needs during this difficult time. Rotary members are invited to contribute to the fund, along with the board members who have already pledged to do so.

“We’re still looking into providing service above self,” Taylor said. “We want to take care of our Rotarians and their families first. Then we are branching out to help others.”