Local Organizations in Need of Donations and Volunteers


At this time, it’s easy to feel powerless and left wondering  what you can do to lend a helping hand. There are a lot of local organizations that are accepting donations and volunteers. Here’s a list a few places where you can give back.

Food

Feed the Frontline NOLA

This non-profit organization organized by the Krewe of Red Beans has a goal of feeding hard working medical workers, while supporting the struggling New Orleans restaurant and music industry. You donate money to Feed the Frontline, which goes towards buying food at local restaurants for medical workers. The food is delivered by out-of-work musicians. In one easy step, you are supporting three important industries and you are helping to keep our city running! The organization has supported over 35 restaurants so far and has delivered food to every hospital in New Orleans. Musicians have made $28,000 through deliveries of over 22,000 meals since March 17th.

Donate: https://www.feedthefrontlinenola.org/

Second Harvest Food Bank

Second Harvest Food Bank leads the fight against hunger in South Louisiana by providing food access, advocacy, education, and disaster response. Second Harvest provides food and support to 700+ community partners and programs across 23 parishes. Our staff and volunteers distribute the equivalent of more than 32 million meals to 210,000+ people a year.

Through food distribution programs, community kitchen meal service, nutrition education, and public benefits assistance, we are helping to create pathways out of poverty. Every year, Second Harvest secures millions of pounds of food that otherwise would have gone to waste. Our work helps ensure that these meals make it to the dinner tables of thousands of families struggling with hunger in South Louisiana.

Every $1.00 donated helps Second Harvest provide 4 meals to someone in need. Our staff and volunteers are working hard to help those impacted by the COVID-19 situation.

Donations of food (fresh produce and non-perishable food items) and cleaning supplies are also being accepted during this time.

For more information about donating and volunteer opportunities visit https://no-hunger.org/covid-19/

Toups’ Meatery Family Meals

Every day, Toups’ Family Meal starts at 3:00 pm. It’s for anyone in need but especially our service industry family, free of charge. You must call ahead so we can safely box your food.

Donate: via Venmo (@toupsmeatery), PayPal at isaac@toupsmeatery.com and over the phone at 504-252-4999

Feeding Louisiana

Feeding Louisiana’s member food banks are working tirelessly to serve Louisiana’s seniors, families, and workers affected by the Coronavirus pandemic. We are committed to serving Louisiana’s communities in need throughout this crisis. ​

Donate or volunteer here: https://www.feedinglouisiana.org/take-action

 

Healthcare

LCMC Health

LCMC Health is a network of five hospital locations: Children’s Hospital, Touro, University Medical Center New Orleans, New Orleans East Hospital, and West Jefferson Medical Center. LCMC Health also deliver world-class care close to home through a network of urgent care centers across the greater New Orleans area in addition to physician practices. Over 2,200 health care providers are in the network.

The LCMC Health Supply Chain team has worked diligently to procure necessary Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for our health care workers who are on the front lines. The number one priority of LCMC Health is their safety and that of their patients. In an abundance of caution as COVID-19 spreads in our community, and with the increased global demand for supplies, LCMC Health is now accepting donations of needed supplies from the business and medical community (dentists, suppliers, etc.) who have available supplies.

Requested donation categories include: Masks (N95, surgical, procedure), Disinfecting wipes, such as Clorox or Sani-cloth wipes, Hand sanitizer, Face shields, Goggles and eye shields, Isolation or surgical gowns, CAPR/PAPR machines and disposables, and Flocked swabs.

To donate supplies, fill out the supply donation form here: https://lcmchealth-drshh.formstack.com/forms/lcmc_health_covid19_donation_form

Monetary donations are accepted here: https://www.lcmchealth.org/about-lcmc-health/community/#donate

Greater New Orleans Caring Collective

GNO Caring Collective is a grassroots organization that was founded in 2020 as a response to the Covid-19 outbreak in the New Orleans area. ​ The main goal is to help immune at-risk individuals stay at home and safely in quarantine while providing vital services, such as grocery delivery, for free. ​ GNOCC has since expanded and is actively working on programs to provide funds for rent assistance to those who are out of work due to Covid-19, but don’t qualify for other programs.

GNO Caring Collective is accepting donations to aid those who are out of work due to Covid-19 and are not service industry workers.

Donations are being accepted via GoFundMe here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/new-orleans-covid19-rent-aid-for-the-underserved?utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=customer&utm_campaign=p_lico+share-sheet

For more information and for other ways to donate, go here: https://www.gnocaringcollective.org/donate

 

Hospitality Industry and Gig Workers

 

Greater New Orleans Foundation Service and Hospitality Family Assistance Program

In good times the people of New Orleans reap the benefits of a robust tourism industry fueled by the hard work of tens of thousands of front line workers in our restaurants, bars, and hotels. During this COVID-19 pandemic crisis, these same workers and their families are some of the hardest hit. Restaurants and bars are closed, hotels are vacant, and workers have been sent home without enough to provide for their families. Ours is a region that eats together, dances together and, when tragedy strikes, lifts each other up. The Greater New Orleans Foundation is committed to reducing these burdens. With generous support from Mrs. Gayle Benson and the McIlhenny Company, maker of Tabasco® brand pepper sauce, the Greater New Orleans Foundation is launching the Service and Hospitality Family Assistance Program in partnership with the Louisiana Restaurant Association. This program will provide grants of up to $1,000 for service and hospitality workers whose families are experiencing financial crisis in the Greater New Orleans region. By working together, we will help each other survive until we can once again thrive.

Who is eligible?
Service and hospitality workers with children and/or qualified dependents Worked more than 32 hours per week in restaurants, bars, or hotels in the Greater New Orleans Foundation’s 13-parish region prior to March 9, 2020 Household income was at or below 80 percent of the parish’s area median income (AMI), which is $53,900 for family of four in Orleans Parish

Donate: https://www.gnof.org/donors/ways-to-give/donate/

Culture Aid NOLA

Culture Aid Nola is a collaborative relief effort of several New Orleans area nonprofits serving culture and hospitality workers. CAN is focused on directing aid towards the underserved members of these communities who might have difficulty accessing aid through traditional channels. CAN is no barrier aid. There are no tax forms, proof of lost income, or ID required to receive help from any CAN program. CAN also provides Medicaid access navigation through our partners at 504 Health Net. CAN also works in advocacy and monetary aid navigation for musicians and artists through our partners at MACCNO. Our partners at the Musician’s Clinic disseminate verified reliable health information. CAN is committed to serving our communities throughout the COVID-19 crises. Culture and hospitality workers make up ~40% of New Orleans tax base, and well over 100,000 workers. This crisis will have a disproportionate effect on our city. CAN recognizes the need for long term support for our communities. If faced with a lack of support, these workers so vital to our city’s economy might be forced to seek jobs elsewhere.

Donate: You can get info about donation opportunities by sending an email to Cultureaidnola@gmail.com

For information about free food distribution for service industry workers, visit https://www.facebook.com/Culture-Aid-NOLA-110450253919087/

New Orleans Business Alliance

Gig economy workers are some of the most critical members of our economy. They’re rideshare drivers, our favorite local musicians, our arena workers, our friends. They’re our neighbors who are most susceptible to negative impacts as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Thank you for your willingness to contribute to this fund, providing critical resources to members of our community who need it most.

As a result of the anticipated local economic impact of COVID-19, the New Orleans Business Alliance (NOLABA) is standing up a relief fund to meet the needs of gig economy workers who have been directly impacted via loss of income.

For more information and to donate go here: https://www.nolaba.org/relief-fund/?fbclid=IwAR1rk3ppogpmmRuTRUxomIoZTWlveJxX1dMKMhSt-QRllflled7lAt-JSL0

New Orleans Musicians’ Clinic

The New Orleans Musicians’ Clinic has provided medical care to musicians and performing artists in New Orleans for more than 21 years. We offer occupational and comprehensive health services for musicians, performers, cultural workers and tradition bearers of New Orleans (Mardi Gras Indians, Social Aid & Pleasure Club Members). We serve any patient over the age of 19 and their family, regardless of insurance status or ability to pay. The NOMC also accepts private insurance, Medicare and Medicaid.

Donate here: https://neworleansmusiciansclinic.org/get-involved/donate/

 

Others Ways to Help

 

Junior League of New Orleans Diaper Drive

One in three families in the U.S. struggles to provide their babies with clean, dry diapers. Those experiencing this “diaper need” have difficulty with stress management and depression, which in turn negatively affects their children’s health and development.

Donate here: https://junior-league-of-new-orleans.snwbll.com/dollars-for-diapers-2019-2020#action

Find other ways to help Junior League of New Orleans Diaper Bank here: https://www.jlno.org/community/diaper-bank/

Son of a Saint

As an organization that exists to support a crucial part of the New Orleans community, Son of a Saint is continuing to build leaders and is not stopping in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and its ongoing effects. However, Son of a Saint has identified a projected funding loss of approximately 60% over the next several months. To counteract, we’ve established this discretionary reserve fund. Our focus for the foreseeable future is sustaining our current level of operations, while not sacrificing our long-term vision.

Donate: https://sonofasaint.givingfuel.com/son-of-a-saint-recurring-donations

Hands on New Orleans

Realizing the power that volunteers have to make a true impact in New Orleans, we have led an effort to revitalize our neighborhoods and create a more vibrant community through high impact service projects. We create and manage projects relating to school revitalization, youth recreation, neighborhood beautification, urban gardening and environmental restoration, blight reduction, and disaster management as well as connect volunteers with volunteer opportunities through our online portal.

As community leaders respond to the evolving Coronavirus public health crisis, we anticipate increasing social and economic impacts in our community. It is crucial to support our most vulnerable populations, as we know that any crisis only exacerbates existing conditions where our neighbors struggle to make ends meet.

To volunteer, click here: http://volunteer.handsonneworleans.org/covid-19-response-volunteer-needs/

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