How about a potato casserole, either with sweet or white taters?
Or a pasta salad. Make one with salami, cheese, olives and stuff you would make for an antipasto, it tastes great and has a long shelf life. They only have to toss in a bowl and serve.
A side of baked ziti with a lot of cheese and sauce. It can be turned into a main dish the next day by just nuking.
Or a hearty soup, it can be the first course the first day, and the main course the next.
As born again Southerners (we both grew up in NYC) would suggest fried okra, stewed tomatoes with/out okra (we love that stuff), a corn casserole, peas with pearl onions in a cream sauce, spinach in cream sauce with a bit of nutmeg, or cook some string beans in a stock with a ham hock.
Hope this helps.
And God bless you.