BATON ROUGE- On Easter Sunday, St. Vincent de Paul served special Easter take-out only meals to those in need.

Staff began handing out meals at 11:30 a.m. Sunday, April 12, at St. Vincent de Paul's dining room, located at 220 St. Vincent de Paul Pl.

"The Coronavirus was something we could not foresee, but we'll continue to be there for vulnerable individuals and families that desperately need a helping hand," spokesperson Michael Acaldo said in a statement Friday.

Due to the coronavirus outbreak, St. Vincent de Paul has temporarily suspended its volunteer program, however, the organization is asking for donations. Anyone who would like to donate can do so online at svdpbr.org or they can mail a check to St. Vincent de Paul, PO Box 127, Baton Rouge, LA, 70821.

The Bishop Ott Shelter Program continues, despite the pandemic, as a safety net for individuals and families who are homeless. 

"We have fully implemented the “stay at home” order. Without us, our homeless guests would not have a place to self-isolate," Acaldo said.

"Keeping our doors open is very important to many of these guests who suffer from underlying disease and suppressed immune systems. Weekly our programs are providing approximately 500 guest nights of shelter."

St. Vincent de Paul says during the week, its community pharmacy is filling prescriptions for those in need, as well as those who have recently lost their jobs or insurance because of the pandemic. 

"By the end of the month, we should fill prescriptions worth over $100,000," Acaldo said in a statement.