Emeril and Alden Lagasse
/SOURCE OF WEALTH: Celebrity Chef
FUNDING AREAS: Children & Youth (Health, Wellness, Arts)
OVERVIEW: Founded in 2002 by Emeril Lagasse and his wife Alden, the Emeril Lagasse Foundation seeks to “create opportunities to inspire, mentor and enable youth to reach their full potential through culinary, nutrition and arts education.” The foundation has given away more than $10 million since its creation. The Emeril Lagasse Foundation also has a strong web presence, and provides guidelines for grantseekers.
BACKGROUND: Emeril Lagasse was born in 1959 in Massachusetts. After attending culinary school at Johnson and Wales University, Lagasse opened his first restaurant in New Orleans' Warehouse District in 1990. A few years later, Lagasse began appearing on the Food Network, eventually securing his own shows, Essence of Emeril and Emeril Live. In addition to television, Emeril has launched products and restaurants.
ISSUES:
EMERIL LAGASSE FOUNDATION: In 2002, Lagasse established the Emeril Lagasse Foundation to support children’s educational programs that "inspire and mentor young people through the culinary arts, school food and nutrition and important life skills programs." To date, the foundation has given away more than $10 million in grants to children’s charities in New Orleans, the Greater Gulf Coast, and around the country. The foundation’s funded projects include an outdoor classroom, gardens, fresh foods cafeteria and teaching kitchen at Edible Schoolyard New Orleans, an accessible learning kitchen for special needs students at St. Michael Special School.
The foundation gave away more than $320,000 in grants to select nonprofits. Past grantees include: Belle Chasse Academy, which serves approximately 1,500 military dependent students residing in the greater New Orleans area each year; Covenant House, which provides sanctuary and guidance for youth in crisis; Common Threads, which partners with schools and youth-serving organizations to deliver culturally-relevant, hands-on healthy cooking and nutrition education to children, families and teachers in underserved areas; Youth Empowerment Project (YEP). In 2020, the foundation gave $500,000 to to support youth programs and families of hospitality industry workers in Louisiana, Nevada and Florida impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
LOOKING FORWARD: Lagasse is only in his 50s. For now, expect him to continue supporting children in his select regions. It is worth noting that apart from his foundation, Lagasse may have more direct avenues of grantmaking and some important grants may be missing from this rundown.
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