NEW ORLEANS – Galatoire’s Restaurant and Galatoire Foundation presented eight local nonprofits with the proceeds from their annual table auctions. Food lovers and generous patrons gathered in Galatoire’s first-floor Main Dining Room where the lively lunch crowd celebrated the presentation of grant and micro-grant checks. This year’s Christmas and Mardi Gras table auctions raised over $440,000.
Galatoire Foundation’s table auctions raise funds to aid local nonprofits in achieving their goals for public good. This year, proceeds benefited Galatoire Foundation and eight other local non-profits. The two table partners, STEM NOLA and Volunteers of America of Southeast Louisiana, received grants while the six micro grant recipients were Edible Schoolyard New Orleans, Ignatian Volunteer Corps New Orleans, NOCHI, Son of a Saint, The Big Easy Wing of the Commemorative Air Force and The Bright School.
Since 2006, Galatoire Foundation has raised more than $4.3 million for charities in Louisiana. The annual Christmas and Mardi Gras fundraising events involve guests bidding on tables to reserve the Fridays before those holidays. Since the inception of its now-famous holiday table auctions, all proceeds collected have benefitted dozens of New Orleans-area charitable organizations, from neighborhood rebuilding projects and crime prevention to youth programs and entrepreneurship efforts.
“We are continually amazed by the incredible generosity of our loyal patrons,” said Melvin Rodrigue, Galatoire Foundation president.
These annual Galatoire Foundation fundraising events have a tangible impact, including in regional education through their support of STEM NOLA. Founded by New Orleans native and former Tulane University engineering professor Dr. Calvin Mackie, STEM NOLA is dedicated to inspiring and engaging the community in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).
“Empowering the next generation of innovators and leaders through hands-on STEM education is
our mission at STEM NOLA,” said Dr. Calvin Mackie, founder and CEO of STEM NOLA. “Our success is rooted in collaboration and community support, which allows us to reach thousands of students in New Orleans and across the country.”
There are around 89,000 Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) jobs in the greater New Orleans region alone and the number is growing. With a quarter of the STEM workforce slated to retire soon, the need for people with STEM education, training, and experience will only continue to grow. STEM NOLA helps meet this need by designing and delivering programs for K-12 students to spark and enhance their interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.
Last year STEM NOLA held 84 STEM events in 36 cities across 14 states, reaching over 40,000 young participants. As of early 2025, STEM NOLA and its STEM Global Action network have impacted more than 200,000 students since 2013 alone.
The other Galatoire Foundation grant recipient was table partner Volunteers of America Southeast Louisiana whose parent organization, Volunteers of America, was established in 1896. The Southeast Louisiana chapter offers more than 30 human services programs across 16 parishes, supporting vulnerable groups such as children, families, seniors, individuals with disabilities, and veterans. Annually, Volunteers of America Southeast Louisiana serves over 30,000 underserved individuals in the community providing both short-term and lifelong services.
In addition to these two major grants, the six micro-grant recipients carry out a range of important functions that improve the lives of those in the Greater New Orleans Region. Edible Schoolyard New Orleans is one of them. It guides children to make healthy choices by teaching the interconnectedness between food, health, the natural world, and the communities in which they grow.
Ignatian Volunteer Corps New Orleans, another micro-grant recipient, is a service organization that provides people aged 50 or over with opportunities to serve the needs of those who are financially vulnerable. The New Orleans Culinary & Hospitality Institute (NOCHI) will use its micro-grant to educate a diverse community of students in the ever-evolving hospitality industry which is such an important part of New Orleans culture.
Another micro-grant recipient, Son of a Saint, provides mentorship, education, recreation, camaraderie, cultural enrichment, and emotional support to boys without a father figure in their lives. Son of a Saint has achieved a 100% high school graduation rate among its mentees, with 80% enrolling in college and the remaining 20% entering the workforce through skilled trades or vocational programs.
The Big Easy Wing of the Commemorative Air Force preserves the legacy of the Stearman (N1617M), an iconic biplane that served in the military, assisted with agriculture development, and performed aerobatic shows. And the sixth micro-grant recipient is The Bright School which develops the speech and language skills of children who are deaf, hard of hearing, or language delayed.
Other past recipients have included NAMI New Orleans, Bayou District Foundation, Covenant House, Patio Planters of the Vieux Carré, Dress for Success, Audubon Nature Institute, Liberty’s Kitchen, The Idea Village, The New Orleans Police and Justice Foundation, The Roots of Music, Kingsley House and more.
About Galatoire Foundation: Galatoire Foundation is a 501(c)3 organization dedicated to giving back to the New Orleans community and region that has patronized Galatoire’s for generations, allowing us to secure generations to come and remain a cornerstone in representing Louisiana and its authentic culture.
About Galatoire’s Restaurant: A national dining institution, Galatoire’s Restaurant was honored with the prestigious James Beard Award for Outstanding Restaurant and is consistently named as one of New Orleans’ Top 10 Restaurants by publications and critics worldwide. Galatoire’s has continuously earned the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence and is recognized for its renowned wine list. Saveur also named Galatoire’s Friday Lunch one of its “25 Greatest Meals Ever,” while Bon Appetit magazine has recognized Galatoire’s as one of the nation’s “Top Celebration Restaurants.”
