Laborde Earles held a successful “Project Backpack” giveaway day at their firm in New Iberia.

David Laborde and Digger Earles assisted in handing out nearly all of the 200 backpacks at hand. Across the state, they gave away 1,000 backpacks over Friday and Saturday.

It was a sweltering July day, with a temperature of 98 degrees, but the workers at Laborde Earles didn’t let that stop them, as they whipped out the tents and got to work.

According to Earles, the New Iberia event saw a fantastic turnout and was highly successful for its first year.

“Almost everyone that signed up for it showed. It was fantastic. The kids were super appreciative and the parents were super appreciative. It was a great event all around,” Earles said.

Earles said they conduct events like Project Backpack following the company’s core belief of community.

“We take any and every opportunity that we can to give back to the communities that have been so good to us,” Earles said.

Project Backpack is one of several giveaways Laborde Earles holds throughout the year, but backpacks and turkeys aren’t the only way they get involved. They also sponsor festivals and events like the World Championship Gumbo Cookoff here in New Iberia and Festival International in Lafayette.

According to Dakota Henry, the firm’s event and community coordinator, Laborde Earles acquired the backpacks from a company called Blusource, which specializes in helping organizations give back to their communities in a number of ways. One of these ways is the obvious wholesale filled backpacks, but they also offer resources like crowdfunding tools and hygiene supply kits.

This is the company’s second annual “Project Backpack” event, but New Iberia’s first. The Laborde Earles office in New Iberia opened this past year joining the four other offices they have in Lafayette, Alexandria, Marksville and New Orleans. Together, they serve 63 communities across Louisiana.

Look forward to Laborde Earles Thanksgiving Turkey giveaway and the 33rd World Championship Gumbo Cookoff they sponsor in October. Laborde Earles, is at onmyside.com and on 230 W. Main St. in New Iberia.