THE Mama FILES
nola family MEET OUR TEAM
AMY L. FOREMAN Publisher EDITORIAL AMANDA MILLER Managing Editor
AMANDA CIANI REBECCA FAST MADELINE PISTORIUS AMELIA ROESSLER JULIANNA STEEN Associate Editors KAILEY GREMILLION Editorial Assistant
ART/PRODUCTION CHLOE ALLEN Production Manager
A Seat at the Table
KAYLA DUPREE MADELINE MILETELLO ASAREL SMITH MCKINNA SPROLES Graphic Designers MAIH MANUSO Content Multiplication Specialist TRINITY GRAYSON MERCEDES MITCHELL Client Success Representatives ADVERTISING/MARKETING ZACK HILL Director of Sales & Marketing CRYSTAL BARRETT KAYLA FRICKS GOMEZ RYN WHITESIDE Senior Account Executives CAMILLE CAVIN JENNIFER HOFFMANN
I ’m going to say something that might get me kicked out of the Thanksgiving fan club. I’m not a fan of Thanksgiving. There, I said it. I’ve never been excited about the traditional Thanksgiving meal. Turkey, dressing, casseroles, and all the fixings just aren’t my thing. Add in the fact that I’m gluten-free, and dinner becomes a game of “What can I actually eat?” Spoiler alert: Not much.
My mom loved bringing everyone together, and while I don’t share her enthusiasm for cooking a massive meal, I understand why it mattered. It wasn’t about the food. It was about having everyone in one place. With my daughter in college and the boys getting older, I’m realizing how quickly those opportunities change. Everyone has their own schedules, and getting all five of us together sometimes feels like scheduling a board meeting. Maybe Thanksgiving doesn’t have to be my favorite holiday. Maybe it’s simply about appreciating who’s still sitting around the table while remembering those who aren’t. I’ll still miss my mom, still pass on the turkey, and probably start planning my Thanksgiving escape again next year. But for now, there’s a 14-foot table waiting to be filled. And maybe that’s a tradition worth keeping.
But the food isn’t really why Thanksgiving isn’t my favorite holiday.
JILLIAN WRAY Account Executives
Since losing my mom, Thanksgiving hasn’t felt the same. Her birthday always falls during Thanksgiving week, and she loved having a big family meal. She wanted everyone together, plenty of food, and a house full of people. Me? I’m usually trying to figure out how to leave town. Every year, I announce we’re going somewhere for Thanksgiving. Somewhere with sunshine, room service, and absolutely no turkey. And every year, that plan falls apart. So, here we are again. Years ago, my husband built a 14-foot table in our house. Yes, 14 feet. Apparently, a regular dining room table wasn’t going to cut it. And Thanksgiving is the only time of year we actually eat at that table. The other 364 days, it just sits there, waiting for its big moment.
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT TERI HODGES Director of Community Partnerships
ROXANE VOORHIES Community Outreach
ADMINISTRATION BRANDON FOREMAN Chief Executive Officer GAYLE GAUTHREAUX Director of Finance ALEXIS ALEXANDER Associate Chief of Staff KELSEY TAYLOR Administrative Assistant
Happy Thanksgiving, from my family to yours.
CONTACT US EDITORIAL@FRG.INC CORPORATE OFFICE (225) 292-0032 3636 S. SHERWOOD FOREST BLVD., STE. 540 BATON ROUGE, LA 70816
Amy L. Foreman Publisher
2023
2024
2025
Email amy@frg.inc to tell me about topics you’d like to see in future issues.
NOLA FAMILY MAGAZINE is published monthly by FAMILY RESOURCE GROUP INC. (FRG) and distributed free of charge. Subscriptions accepted. Only authorized distributors may deliver and pick up the magazine. Paid advertisements appear in FAMILY RESOURCE GROUP INC. (FRG) publications, including print and other digital formats. FRG does not endorse or evaluate the product, service, or company, nor any claims made by the advertisement. We reserve the right to edit, reject, or comment editorially on all materials contributed. Some content in this magazine was created with assistance from AI tools and has been reviewed and edited by our human editorial team. We cannot be held responsible for the return of any unsolicited material. NOLA FAMILY MAGAZINE Copyright 2026. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission prohibited.
6 NOVEMBER 2026 | NOLAFAMILY.COM
Made with FlippingBook Ebook Creator