• By DARLENE DENSTORFF
• Advocate staff writer
• Published: Dec 26, 2009 - Page: 1A

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Carla Carmena patiently stood at the front door of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul dining hall at noon on Christmas Day, waiting for seats for herself, her friend and seven children, ages 4 months to 8 years.

It was their first visit to the charity’s dining hall, off Florida Boulevard and 16th Street. Carmena, 24, and her friend Lisa Matthews, both recently unemployed, were looking for hot meals and Christmas gifts for their children.

When workers couldn’t find space for the two Baton Rouge families to sit together, the women agreed to let the four oldest children eat first. The two friends said they didn’t mind waiting a few more minutes.

Carmena and her family were among the record 839 people served turkey, peas, sweet potatoes, bread and cake at the dining hall Friday, said Michael Acaldo, CEO of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul of Baton Rouge.

“We’ve never seen a Christmas like this one,” Acaldo said, who spent his 20th Christmas working with the nonprofit agency. “We’re seeing so many new faces and more families than ever before.”

Friday was the second consecutive Christmas Day with record numbers at the dining hall.

The record crowd was a “sign of our economic times,” Acaldo said.

Carmena asked about other services provided by the agency, including help looking for a job. She said she “will do anything and … (is) willing to learn.”

“It’s unfortunate that there was so much need, but fortunate that there were so many volunteers to lend a hand,” Acaldo said.

“Donations are not what they used to be, but volunteer numbers are up. That is a good thing,” he said.

A line of more than 150 people snaked down the street when the doors opened at 11:30 a.m. Inside, more than 100 volunteers lined the walls.

“Today we’ve got first-time volunteers and some old pros,” Acaldo said.

Among the volunteers on hand were Katie Beaugh and her husband, Richard Beaugh, and their children, Rece, 10, and Presley, 9.

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