One million children’s meals made possible by the Emeril Lagasse Foundation!

Our mission to serve South Louisiana would not be possible without major support from partners such as the Emeril Lagasse Foundation.

Recently, we the one millionth meal funded by the Emeril Lagasse Foundation delivered by Second Harvest’s Summer Feeding program – an annual summer-long anti-hunger program that prepares and delivers fresh, healthy meals to summer campers in New Orleans.

In Louisiana, over 83% of children rely on the free and reduced meals program and receive most of their calories at school. In summer, these kids have little other access to food. Since 2010, Second Harvest’s Summer Feeding program has worked with local schools, camps and agencies to alleviate this need.

(Click HERE to view media coverage of this important milestone!) 

In all, Emeril Lagasse Foundation has hundreds of thousands of dollars to Second Harvest over 6 years, providing nutrition to high-poverty neighborhoods in New Orleans, Jefferson, St. Bernard and surrounding parishes. This summer alone, 4,000 unique children at risk of hunger at 65 safe sites will benefit from this program, receiving breakfast, lunch and snack.

“No child should ever have to worry about where their next meal is going to come from,” said Brian Kish, President of the Emeril Lagasse Foundation. “Making good, nutritious food available for children during the summer helps ease that burden, and we’re honored to take part in this huge milestone with Second Harvest.”

Hot meals and healthy snacks are prepared fresh each day by Second Harvest volunteers, delivered free of charge and meet or exceed USDA nutritional guidelines, ensuring that at-risk children have access to food and the benefits that come from being well-nourished and ready to learn. This is part of a nationwide effort to reduce summertime hunger, as the USDA aims to provide 200 million meals this summer.

“The support of the Emeril Lagasse Foundation over the last six years has been life-changing for so many young people in South Louisiana,” said Natalie Jayroe, President and CEO of Second Harvest Food Bank. “I can’t stress enough the positive impact these Summer Feeding sites have made in the lives, nutrition and well-being of some of our most vulnerable children, and to the overall health of our communities. We’re so proud to partner with the Foundation to reach this milestone, and look forward to many more.”