Top Box Louisiana partnered with New Orleans Musicians Clinic, providing free groceries to local performers

[Resa Bazile dressed as a Baby Doll | Lillian Foster]

By Lillian Foster

Very few have witnessed a silent night in New Orleans–whether you’re attending a jazz brunch, a weekend in the Quarter or a Monday night on Frenchman Street, music flows through the streets of New Orleans and rarely stops. 

New Orleans is home to hundreds of musicians and artists, yet many find that supporting themselves through their craft alone is not an easy task. 

In July 2023, Top Box Foods received a grant from Baptist Community Ministries allowing them to provide over 1,300 home delivery grocery boxes through the Makin’ Groceries program for New Orleans Musicians’ Clinic (NOMC) Patients. 

"It really did help us. At the time, it was a very, very true need and I was very thankful for it,” program participant Victoria said in a testimonial. 

Ingrid Lucia, a New Orleans native who sings for The Flying Neutrinos and the Squirrel Nut Zippers, was one of the many artists who received Top Box groceries through the grant and the NOMC. 

“Prices have gotten so expensive. I just went to the store and spent $52 for two little bags. I played at a club on Frenchman Street on a Friday night and made $60. So I did that whole gig to pay for two small bags of groceries,” Lucia said. 

[Ingrid Lucia sings during an evening performance | Courtesy of Ingrid Lucia]

At just four years old, Lucia started performing for whoever would listen. By ten, her father started The Flying Neutrinos, a family blues and jazz band that recorded two studio albums and landed gigs from Mexican circuses to Jazz Fest in 1995. 

“There’s an understanding of each other and what we do,” Lucia said. “In New Orleans, it’s natural. You don’t have to say anything, it’s just felt. It’s like body parts coming together to make one body.” 

Despite her deep-rooted history in New Orleans, Lucia often receives disrespect from local clubs. 

“This is what I’ve always done for a living and now these clubs are acting like we’re hobbyists,” Lucia said. “They’re lowering the rates and they’re taking away the amenities.”

Today, Lucia is recovering from a liver transplant and singing with the Squirrel Nut Zippers, a jazz band that honors New Orleans classics. Still, Lucia struggles to keep up with bills and inflating prices. 

“My electric bill is $230 this month, that’s three gigs at a regular club. And then what about the rent? When you add up all those numbers it's almost impossible to do,” Lucia said. “It’s expensive to be poor. It’s a perpetuating backwards system and I found myself tumbling through that. It was like I couldn’t seem to get ahead.” 

During the pandemic, Resa “Cinnamon Black” Bazile received a series of grocery boxes from Top Box through the NOMC Makin’ Groceries program. 

“The NOMC Clinic introducing Top Box to the artists has been really exciting and helpful. It’s probably one of the best things that has happened to the musicians ever,” Bazile said. 

As a Baby Doll, a Voodoo Priestess and a Masking Indian Queen, Bazile stays busy keeping the culture of New Orleans alive. 

“The best part [about being a culture bearer in New Orleans] is reenacting what my ancestors have done before, being a part of the culture, teaching it to the children, expressing it in public and to the elders and making sure that the history doesn’t die,” Bazile said. 

[Resa Bazile dressed as a Baby Doll for a second-line | Lillian Foster]

Having Top Box foods delivered to her doorstep during the pandemic helped her avoid the risk of catching COVID-19. 

“Going around a crowd of people has always been fun as an entertainer, but during the pandemic it wasn’t so fun. So having the boxes come to my door was definitely a plus in my life,” Bazile said. 

For Charmaine Neville, lead singer in the Charmaine Neville band and daughter of the famous jazz musician Charles Neville, receiving Top Box food deliveries during the pandemic allowed her to interact with community members at a safe distance. 

“The drivers that volunteered to bring the boxes were great, I just appreciated everything that they did,” Neville said. 

As a young musician, Neville was taught by acclaimed musicians like Fats Domino, Allen Toussaint and Ellis Marsalis. 

“If it wasn't for them helping me, I would not be where I am today. That's why I try to make sure that I pay it forward to the next generation, because I stood on many people's shoulders to get where I am,” Neville said. 

Due to a series of life-threatening strokes, Neville can no longer drive to grocery stores, making accessing food a barrier in her life.

“Where I live, there is a healthy food desert. There are no real stores that are close to me, only corner grocery stores that jack up the prices on anything and everything, and they have nothing fresh,” Neville said. 

Through strategic partnerships, generous donations and the support of sponsors, Top Box Foods is able to break down barriers to food access in over 10,000 households a year and distribute over 100,000 pounds of fresh, whole foods. Whether you’re looking to make a difference by volunteering, donating or simply choosing Top Box for your grocery needs, every contribution helps Top Box Foods create a healthier, stronger Louisiana. 

 

About Top Box Foods Louisiana

Top Box Foods Louisiana (TBF) is a community-driven nonprofit creating community access to healthy, nourishing, affordable food. TBF offers fresh produce and other healthy groceries, supports community partners in hunger and nutrition initiatives, and promotes the development of a sustainable food system. TBF Market is a New Orleans grocery delivery service offering boxes of fresh fruits and vegetables, proteins, and local items at discounted rates for EBT users. Market has no eligibility requirements or delivery fees, and is designed for everyone, inlcuding low-income households and people experiencing food insecurity. Find more information at louisiana.topboxfoods.com and on Instagram and Facebook @topboxlouisiana.