NEW ORLEANS – With the holidays approaching and food insecurity on the rise, Ruby Slipper and its sister brand Ruby Sunshine are launching a multi-state fundraising campaign to help feed families in need.
Community Effort to Fight Hunger
The New Orleans–founded brunch restaurants are inviting guests to add $1, $3 or $5 to their checks now through Dec. 20, with proceeds benefiting local food banks and SNAP recipients in the communities they serve.
To amplify the impact, The Weishaupt Family Foundation has pledged to match donations up to $15,000, effectively doubling the number of meals provided to families this season.
The company said the effort reflects its ongoing commitment to supporting communities across the Gulf South.
Local Food Banks Benefit Across Nine Markets
Participating markets and food bank partners include:
- Birmingham — Community Food Bank of Central Alabama
- Charleston — Lowcountry Food Bank
- Charlotte — Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina
- Chattanooga — Chattanooga Area Food Bank
- Columbia — Harvest Hope Food Bank
- Franklin + Nashville — Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee
- Gulf Coast — Feeding the Gulf Coast Food Bank
- Knoxville — Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee
- Louisiana — Second Harvest Food Bank of South Louisiana
To ensure donations make an immediate difference, Ruby will distribute funds bi-weekly so that local food banks can begin purchasing and distributing meals right away.
Food Insecurity Remains High in Louisiana
Across the United States, 13.5% of households — or about 18 million — were food insecure in 2023, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Among households with children, nearly 18% faced similar challenges. In Louisiana, the problem is even more acute: roughly 18% of residents — an estimated 827,690 people, including 248,630 children — said they were food insecure, according to the Feeding Louisiana advocacy group.
The recent federal government shutdown intensified those pressures. When the shutdown began on Oct. 1, federal funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) ran out, forcing Louisiana officials to take emergency steps to help nearly 800,000 residents who rely on the program to buy groceries. The state used about $12 million from its own coffers to cover 85 % of the typical benefit amount for elderly and disabled recipients while federal funding was frozen.
After the government reopened on Nov. 12, the U.S. Department of Agriculture directed states to resume full SNAP payments within 24 hours. Governor Jeff Landry said on Nov. 13 that those residents will now receive an additional 35 percent for Nov. — a one-time surplus prompted by overlapping state and federal assistance — while all other recipients will get their normal, full benefit amount.
Local food banks, including Second Harvest Food Bank of South Louisiana, reported increased demand during the shutdown as families turned to emergency boxes and meal programs to bridge gaps in assistance. Landry said he expects SNAP benefits in Louisiana to return fully to normal within a week.
Nationwide, food banks continue to face record demand. Sixty-five percent reported serving more people in October 2024 compared with the previous year. For organizations already stretched thin, community partnerships like Ruby Slipper’s holiday campaign help close the gap between available federal support and the real cost of feeding families.
New Orleans–Born Brand with a National Reach
Founded in New Orleans in 2008, Ruby Slipper Restaurant Group has grown from a single neighborhood café into one of the nation’s leading brunch operators, now spanning 26 restaurants across six states. The company’s Ruby Slipper and Ruby Sunshine brands are known for bringing the flavor and spirit of New Orleans to breakfast, brunch and lunch with a menu built on Southern hospitality and made-from-scratch dishes.
In 2025, Ruby was named America’s No. 2 Best Breakfast Chain by Newsweek’s Readers’ Choice Awards — recognition that reflects both its loyal guests and its community-driven mission.
Both brands are open seven days a week, serving breakfast, brunch, lunch, coffee and cocktails.
