As we learn more about the tragedy in the French Quarter on Jan. 1, our hearts go out to the victims and their families suffering from this devastating attack. As always, the Greater New Orleans Foundation stands ready to assist in the aftermath of tragedy. In partnership with Mayor Cantrell and community leaders, we have launched the New Orleans New Year’s Day Tragedy Fund.
“Through the New Orleans New Year’s Day Tragedy Fund, we are raising money to help the families of the victims and survivors start to heal and recover from this heartbreaking tragedy. We are utilizing the tried-and-true avenues we use when responding to other disasters in our region,” said Andy Kopplin, President & CEO of the Greater New Orleans Foundation. “Everyone has a job in times of disaster, and ours is raising money and deploying it to the most in need.”
“I’ve asked the Greater New Orleans Foundation to be the City’s official partner and take the lead on fundraising for victims of this senseless tragedy,” said Mayor LaToya Cantrell. “I ask everyone to find it in their hearts to give what they can. Thank the Foundation for always serving as a steadfast community partner for both our city and region.”
As always, thank you for your generous support. In times like these, when our community needs us most, generous people always step up to do their part, for which we are so grateful.
1. How can I donate?
There are a few ways to donate.
- To give online, visit our main donation page powered by our secure nonprofit giving platform, Kimbia/GiveGab.
- If you would prefer to give by check, please make your check payable to the Greater New Orleans Foundation using the following information, indicating “New Orleans New Year’s Day Tragedy Fund” on the memo line.
The Greater New Orleans Foundation
919 St. Charles Avenue
New Orleans, LA 70130
Memo Line: New Orleans New Year’s Day Tragedy Fund
- For foundation and corporate gifts, please contact Zach Danner, Director of Strategic Partnerships, at zach@gnof.org.
- If you have a donor-advised fund at the Greater New Orleans Foundation and would like to make a charitable donation, you may do so online through DonorCentral, or you may use a credit card here. Checks may be mailed to the address below. Please be sure to include “New Year’s Day Tragedy Fund” in the memo line of checks and the “grant purpose” section of DonorCentral.
- If your business or organization is hosting a fundraiser, please tag us in your promotions on Facebook, X, Instagram, and LinkedIn, and let us know by emailing communications@gnof.org.
2. What is the role of GiveGab and Kimbia?
The main donation page is powered by GiveGab, an entity of Bonterra, and Kimbia. GiveGab is modern, easy-to-use software that cultivates long-term giving relationships between nonprofits and their supporters by providing robust online fundraising, donor management, supporter engagement, Giving Days, and more. GiveGab provides a secure online platform built on technology inspired by the feedback of actual nonprofit users, resulting in features tailored to the most popular requests of those they aim to serve.
In 2018, GiveGab finalized its acquisition of Kimbia, the everyday fundraising and Giving Day platform responsible for helping nonprofits raise $1 billion since its inception. Kimbia is an online fundraising, crowdfunding, and event platform provider for nonprofits, higher education, and community foundations. In the last ten years, organizations including American Red Cross, Smithsonian Institution, Georgetown University, Communities Foundation of Texas, GiveMN, The Boston Foundation and The Miami Foundation have raised over a billion dollars using Kimbia’s Everyday Giving, Peer-to-Peer, Event Registration and Giving Day solutions.
3. Where does my donation go?
One hundred percent of these funds will directly support the victims and families of those whose lives were taken and those seriously injured or impacted by this event.
4. What is difference between the New Orleans New Year’s Day Tragedy Fund and the Gayle and Tom Benson Disaster Relief Fund?
Funds deployed from the New Orleans New Year’s Day Tragedy Fund will directly support the victims and families of those whose lives were taken and those seriously injured or impacted by this event.
While we continue to fundraise for the New Orleans New Year’s Day Tragedy Fund, funds deployed from the endowed Gayle and Tom Benson Disaster Relief Fund will go directly to nonprofits on the frontlines serving those affected by this tragedy. The Gayle and Tom Benson Disaster Relief Fund was established in summer 2024 to give the Foundation capacity to provide rapid financial support to our region’s most effective first-responding nonprofits in advance of or immediate response to an event like the New Year’s Day tragedy. Mrs. Benson generous contribution allows the Foundation to deploy nonprofit grants immediately while continuing to fundraise for the event.
Since 2005, the Greater New Orleans Foundation has built a track record of making impactful grants after a disaster. The Foundation has responded to every disaster since Hurricane Katrina when it led the Unified Community Planning effort and raised a $23 million affordable housing fund. The Foundation invested approximately $10 million in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and has distributed roughly $8 million in response to Hurricane Ida. In May 2022, the Foundation announced one of its major long-term community recovery grants from Hurricane Ida disaster response funds, which was a $1 million leadership grant to launch the Community Lighthouse Project. The Community Lighthouse Project, an initiative of Together New Orleans, aims to provide commercial-scale solar power and back-up battery capacity to congregations and nonprofits throughout Louisiana.
5. What do I do if I have any questions?
If you have questions about any of our response efforts, please contact Meg Miles, Vice President for Philanthropy, at meg@gnof.org or 504.698.1291.