Americans are by far the most generous nation in the world. According to Philanthropy Roundtable, annual private philanthropy in the United States represents 1.44% of the country’s gross domestic product. This is almost twice as high as the 0.77%…
The most recent update of The Greater New Orleans Foundation's Give Nola Day shows that there’s already been 4,262 contributions to 607 organizations totaling $789,192 in donations. Give NOLA Day is a 24-hour event on May 4 that inspires people to…
Brooke Erin Posey was 17 when she lost her life in a tragic automobile accident. In her honor, the Brooke Erin Posey Foundation was created to promote charitable and educational events for local children’s charities and spread awareness for…
We all benefit from the work of charitable nonprofits. They embody our dreams and ideals, and support our most pressing causes. America’s 1.3 million nonprofits feed, heal, shelter, educate, inspire, enlighten and nurture people of every age, gender, race,…
GiveNOLA Day is a 24-hour event hosted by the Greater New Orleans Foundation and presented by Baptist Community Ministries. This year it happens on May 4. There are numerous worthy nonprofits looking for funds to support their missions and…
In order to balance budgets and continue to fund their programs, most nonprofit executive directors, along with their development directors, eagerly await GiveNOLA Day. From helping animal welfare to youth development, the funds raised during this 24-hour period are…
Whether it’s Anthony Bourdain’s “Kitchen Confidential,” A.J. Liebling’s “Between Meals: An Appetite for Paris,” or Julia Child’s “The French Chef,” few things satisfy my intellectual palate more than a great book about food. And Les Dames d‘Escoffier International (LDEI)…
There are many stereotypes associated with vegan food. The most common is that vegan food is tasteless and boring. But nowadays, items such as chillies rellenos, mushroom quesadillas and white bean chili verde prove those ideas blatantly untrue. Those…
Neon lights animate our night skies with exuberance, a bit of jazz and plenty of joy. They glow on theater marquees, Las Vegas casinos, seedy bars and toney art galleries. New Orleans native Jerry Therio is passionate about the…
Emily Vanlandingham, founder/chef of Locally Preserved, New Orleans’ first all-natural food manufacturer, discovered her love of fresh food from her late grandmother, Dorothea Matilda Moeller Davis. “She loved blackberries and one of my favorite memories of her was when…
Knowing that women have limited time to shop, Renee Sembera and Heather Stansbury, owners of Hazel Lane Boutique — an online clothing store based in Covington — teamed up in December 2019 to increase their business's online presence. They…
Women’s History Month isn’t perfect. Professor Kimberly A. Hamlin argued in a Washington Post op-ed that when men make history, it’s just called “history.” But when women make history, it’s “women’s history.” There are just a few days left…
One of my all-time favorite movies, “My Man Godfrey,” begins with an epic scavenger hunt through the streets of post-Great Depression New York City. The wealthy socialites gather at The Waldorf with their finds: a goldfish in a bowl,…
The sounds of the French Quarter are distinctive: the sharp tip tapping of drumsticks on plastic buckets, the Dixieland melodies played in front of Cafe Du Monde, the bells of St. Louis Cathedral, the calliope music coming from the…
Food entrepreneur is the latest buzzword in the food industry. Simply put, it’s a person with passion, skill and business savvy who starts their own food-related business. It could be someone who creates a unique meal kit or bakes…
New Orleans’ saturated soil, combined with the ever-threat of rising water, mean that to live safely, our buildings need to be surrounded by protected ground and they need to be elevated. According to a report prepared by the URS Group…
John Desplas was a wisp of a man with wire-rimmed glasses and the intense look of a learned scholar. During my years working at the Contemporary Arts Center, our paths would often pass. More often, I’d see him at…
“We can’t help everyone, but everyone can help someone.” – Ronald Reagan Throughout our wonderful city, nonprofits large and small are making a difference in the lives of citizens in need. And as every executive director and development…
Though the type of fish, batter recipe and sides might change from church to church, for decades Lenten Friday Fish fries have been a major fundraising event for parishes all around the country. And all these fries have one…
By anyone’s standards, Courtney and Mike Frugé are in the middle of nowhere, just off Highway 35 in Branch, Louisiana. But from a small, 20-acre rice farm, they've built a successful business that includes Frugé Seafood, Frugé Aquafarms, Cajun…
There are Nazi hunters, bounty hunters and vampire hunters, but today the most sought out hunters are vaccine hunters. Tulane University medical student Brad Johnson recently turned young New Orleans-area citizens into volunteer vaccine hunters when he started NOLA…
For five more days, you can enjoy a delectable piece of king cake and have the pleasure of reading an engaging creative story about the origins of this beloved Carnival tradition. The Made in New Orleans Foundation (MiNO) —…
Only hours before the first Uptown Mardi Gras parade on Feb.14, 2020, with hope and a solid business plan, Peter Rivera, Meagen Moreland-Taliancich and Mark Taliancich proudly opened the doors to their new distillery, Happy Raptor. One month later,…
Sometimes forcing people to live in a flimsy tent beneath an overpass, sleep in a cramped parked car or find refuge in a homeless shelter, homelessness is a perilous challenge to an estimated 552,830 Americans. Approximately 2.4 % of…
The George Rodrigue Foundation of the Arts (GRFA) and New Orleans Culinary & Hospitality Institute (NOCHI) recently announced the release of a limited-edition print by celebrated artist George Rodrigue called “Louisiana ArtWorks.” The piece is the only instance from Rodrigue’s…
With pitch-black cast iron pots, worn wooden spoons and produce from the gardens they tended, enslaved cooks gave rise to much of our country’s culinary heritage and certainly gave us some of our most satisfying cuisine. In her 1976…
“I love that flowers can make such a difference in a normal day,” says florist Destiny Pinson, owner of New Orleans-based floral and lifestyle studio Doris Ione. “Even a single bloom can spark joy, and I love that. I…
As with any intimate relationship, my relationship with my beloved city ebbs and flows. Some days I curse the gargantuan potholes, the deluge of boil water alerts and the suffocating humidity, while others I glory in our city’s greatness.…
The Mystic Krewe of Mardi Paws, a Northshore organization that raises funds to benefit the community, is determined to continue its efforts even if they can’t parade this season. The krewe will parade later in 2021 in Downtown Covington…
In her youth, Mariama Curry loved to dance but dreamt about becoming a civil rights lawyer. It was only after heading to college to follow her dream of jurisprudence that she finally realized that her true passion was dance. “Watching…
After more than 40 years, Pamela Marquis thinks she can claim New Orleans citizenship. A frequent contributor to Biz New Orleans and New Orleans Homes and Lifestyles, Marquis has decades of experience as a freelance writer specializing in business writing. Marquis spent many years working in the non-profit world and holds a master’s degree in social work from the University of Missouri.
Living in and loving the 7th ward, she spends her spare time walking her foster dog, playing with her brilliant granddaughters and dashing grandson and gardening.
