How will your nonprofit be remembered once this crisis has ended?

New Orleans is renowned worldwide for its food, music and outdoor celebrations, but in the midst of the Covid-19 crisis in America, New Orleans is known for the highest per capita death rate from the virus in the nation.

To recover, New Orleans nonprofits pulled out its Katrina response playbook. The return of displaced workers and survival of small businesses after the 2005 disaster were critical to help ensure recovery and to support our future donors. Waiting till the storm passes to respond is not an option.

The Krewe of Red Beans, a New Orleans social and charitable organization led by local volunteer Kevin De Wulf, has raised more than $500,000 in just one month since the city was shutdown on March 16. The Krewe, created Front Line NOLA to support medical workers, which are overwhelmed with Covid-19 cases, and to do it in a way that keeps businesses, particularly restaurants, open and people employed by hiring out-of-work musicians and artists to deliver the meals to area hospitals.

Feeding New Orleans’ frontline is an enormous undertaking delivering more than 1,600 meals per day—and one that costs about $20,000 each day.

To help raise funds, New Orleans’ acclaimed Commander’s Palace restaurant auctioned a virtual cooking and cocktail demo sessions, in which viewers bid, and the proceeds go to Feed the Front Line NOLA. The restaurant also auctioned an 8-person dinner party to be enjoyed post-pandemic, featuring five courses, wine pairings, and wait staff by Commander’s Palace waiters. The dinner sold for $20,000!

The Krewe’s quick response and economic support has garnered local, regional and national attention and is being replicated in other cities. The Krewe will also be remembered by its donors for years to come.

How will your nonprofit be remembered once this crisis has ended?

One of our consultants, Juli Pattison, MS, CFRE, contributed this piece. Juli has been volunteering with the Krewe of Red Beans and wanted to highlight their wonderful work. To learn more, visit https://www.feedthefrontlinenola.org.