Friends of New Orleans

Sat, 05 Sep 2020 17:09:12 -0600

We are looking for a million friends to declare their support for New Orleans and surrounding parishes.

Friends of New Orleans is a private, non-profit, non-partisan, membership organization for people in the U.S. and abroad who care about the region. Our mission is to advocate for New Orleans and its surrounding parishes, inform people of those key issues that are shaping the national debate and decision making of the rebuilding effort, link individuals who want to help with the communities in the devastated areas and motivate people to take part in the rebuilding effort.

Congress: Pass the Restore Act and Save The Gulf

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 11:17:54 -0600

For the past two years, Friends of New Orleans has been working with a diverse cross section of key Louisiana coastal leaders* and Global Green, in order to educate people about what is happening along the Gulf of Mexico after the BP Oil Spill. In September 17, 2010, FONO organized a briefing on Capitol Hill in Washington DC to give a voice to these leaders. Following this, on September 22, 2010, FONO presented the DC briefing testimony to a meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative Gulf Coast Action Network in NYC. Then on October 26, 2011, FONO took these Louisiana coastal leaders to San Francisco and had them present at an event for Bay Area donors, community and environmental activists, and business investors. And, on March 20, 2012, FONO re-convened the coastal leaders group in New Orleans in order to celebrate the passing of the Restore Act in the US Senate. Based on our work with these leaders, we appeal to the American People to help us move the following agenda forward by:

1. Calling your US Congressmen and asking them to Pass the Restore Act which will be voted on possibly this week, on Wednesday, April 18, 2012.

2. Writing to Louisiana Governor Jindal and asking that the State's Master Plan for Coastal Restoration include: a) meaningful participation and buy-in by local leaders/residents that were affected by the spill in the decision making process and implementation of the plan; b) a requirement that restoration contracts go to the local people, organizations and companies that suffered the most from the spill; c) mitigation for those whose livelihood will be affected by master plan actions such as diversions; d) more in-shore testing and research of coastal and Gulf ecosystems and wildlife; and e) investments in innovative solutions to coastal restoration, such as carbon markets, and for economic development in that region, such as aqua culture and hydroponics.

Please help our message go nationwide by going to the Change.org website and signing our petition. Send the following link to everyone you know:

http://www.change.org/petitions/congress-pass-the-restore-act-and-save-the-gulf

Louisiana Leaders Affected by the BP Oil Spill go to San Francisco to Talk about Life in the Coastal Communities One Year Later

Wed, 28 Sep 2011 09:45:13 -0600

San Francisco, CA - Wednesday, October 26, 2011

5:30 PM to 8:00 PM

Louisiana residents - including fishermen, businesspeople, environmental and tribal leaders - who were affected by the BP oil spill, will offer their insights on recovery work and every day life in the coastal areas today at a cocktail reception which will take place at the Kapor Capital headquarters in downtown San Francisco, CA, from 5:30 pm to 8:00 pm. Friends of New Orleans is organizing and sponsoring this cocktail reception in order to give a voice to those who have been most affected by the BP oil spill, and to raise awareness of the amount of work that is still required to make the Gulf region whole again. Guest speakers will discuss the current state of the Louisiana wetlands and coast in the wake of the oil spill; the impact the spill has had on Louisiana fishermen, and businesses that serve or are dependent on the State's seafood industry; the effect on the indigenous coastline cultures; financial reimbursements by BP to date; mental and physical health issues facing those affected by the spill; and the coastal and wetlands restoration work that still lays ahead.

Featured Speakers:
Lance Nacio - Leader in the White Boot Brigade, a Louisiana fishermen advocacy org.
Capt. Michael Frenette - Professional Angler/ESPN contributor, Charter Boat/Tour Co. and Fishing Lodge Owner in Venice La. Marina, Director of Louisiana Charter Board Association
Diem Nguyen - Exec. Director of the Mary Queen of Vietnam CDC which represents and works with the Vietnamese fishing community
Brenda Robichaux - former Chief of the Houma Nation (40,000 strong in Louisiana)
Kirk Cheramie - Manager of the Houma Nation newly launched radio station
Rebecca Templeton - Exec. Director of Bayou Grace, a social service agency serving Bayou Grace area
Diane Huhn - Environmental Outreach Volunteer Coordinator at Bayou Grace
LaTosha Brown - Former Exec. Director of the Gulf Coast Fund a donor that supports these communities
Sharon and David Gauthe - Co-Founders of Bayou Interfaith Shared Community Organizing (BISCO) which operates in Lafourche and Terrebonne Parishes

With Special Guest:

Matt Petersen - President and CEO of Global Green USA, an environmental advocacy org. working in New Orleans and Louisiana's coastal communities

To attend this reception, arrange an interview or for more information on the featured speakers and the cocktail, please contact Denise M. Byrne, FONO Executive Director and Board Member, by email (prdenise@aol.com) or cell phone (703-371-7455).

Please click here to view bios and photos of these leaders.

Capitol Hill Briefing Featuring Louisiana Citizens Affected by the BP Oil Spill

Thu, 16 Sep 2010 21:38:50 -0600

Friday, September 17, 2010

10 am - 2 pm

Washington, DC - Key Louisiana residents including fishermen, businesspeople and tribal leaders affected by the BP oil spill will offer their insights on recovery at a briefing on Capitol Hill, September 17 from 10 am - 2 pm, at the Hart Senate Office Bldg. Friends of New Orleans is organizing and sponsoring this briefing to give a voice to those who have been most affected by the BP oil spill, and to raise awareness of the amount of work and resources that will be required to restore the region. Panelists will discuss the current state of the Louisiana coast in the wake of the oil spill; the impact the spill has had and will have on Louisiana fishermen, and businesses that serve or are dependent on the State's seafood industry; the effect on indigenous coastline cultures; financial reimbursements by BP; mental and physical health issues facing those affected by the spill; and the coastal and wetlands restoration work that lays ahead.

Featured Speakers Participating in the FONO Briefing include:
Mike Tidwell - "Bayou Farewell" Author & Head of Chesapeake Bay Climate Action Network
Byron Encalade - Director of the Louisiana Oystermen Association
Lance Nacio - Leader in the White Boot Brigade, a Louisiana fishermen advocacy org.
John Tesvich - Owner and CEO of the AmeriPure Oyster Co.
Capt. Michael Frenette - Professional Angler/ESPN contributor, Charter Boat/Tour Co. and Fishing Lodge Owner in Venice La. Marina, Director of Louisiana Charter Board Association
Father Vien The Nguyen - Chairman of the Mary Queen of Vietnam CDC working with the Vietnamese fishing community
Tuan Nguyen - Deputy Director, Mary Queen of Vietnam CDC
Brenda Robichaux - former Chief of the Houma Nation (40,000 strong in Louisiana)
Kirk Cheramie - Manager of the Houma Nation radio station
Rosina Phillipe - Grand Bayou Shrimper and Elder Leader in the Atakapa tribe
Courtney Howell - Director of Bayou Grace, a social service agency serving Bayou Grace area
Diane Huhn - Environmental Outreach Volunteer Coordinator at Bayou Grace
LaTosha Brown - Exec. Director of the Gulf Coast Fund
Beth Galante - Director of Global Green New Orleans, an environmental advocacy org.
Tracy Kuhn - Director of Louisiana Bayoukeeper, a wetlands advocacy organization
David Gauthe - Co-Founder of Bayou Interfaith Shared Community Organizing (BISCO) which operates in Lafourche and Terrebonne Parishes
Patty Whitney - BISCO Environmental Advocate

To attend, arrange an interview or for more information on the featured speakers and the briefing, please contact Denise M. Byrne, FONO Acting Executive Director and Board Member, by email prdenise@aol.com or cell phone (703-371-7455). This FONO event is supported in part by the New Orleans Fleur de Lis Ambassador Program (fleurdelis.tulane.edu).

Please click here to view bios and photos of these leaders.

New Orleans leaders go to Aspen, CO to mark the 5th Anniversary since Katrina and discuss how neighborhood leadership is helping the city come back better than before - July 23, 2010

Fri, 23 Jul 2010 18:36:56 -0600

Friends of New Orleans hosted a benefit dinner and discussion, "While Frustrations on the Gulf Rise, New Orleans Leaders Take Action" on Friday, July 23, in Aspen, CO at the home of Alex Kaufman. Over 80 VIPs from the Aspen community attended this special event organized by FONO to raise awareness of the great strides made to date in the rebuilding and restoration of Southern Louisiana after Katrina, and the challenges that lay ahead due to the BP Oil Spill catastrophe. In addition to HBO's hit series The Wire and Treme actor, Wendell Pierce, the panelists included: LaToya Cantrell, President of the Broadmoor Improvement Assoc. and the Broadmoor Community Development Corp., who has become a case study at Harvard University for how to do community development; Denise Thornton, President and Founder of the Beacon of Hope Resource Centers, who has become a model for how communities can harness the power of "neighbors helping neighbors" to come back from a disaster; Dr. Vera B. Tripplett, President of the Gentilly Civic Improvement Assoc. and COO of the UNO Charter Schools Network, whose work is helping the city's public schools become the best in the State; and Father Vien The Nguyen, Pastor of Mary Queen of Vietnam Catholic Church and leader of the East New Orleans Vietnamese community which includes many of the region's fishermen whose livelihood has been destroyed by the BP Gulf spill.

This discussion was moderated by New Orleans native and FONO Founder, Walter Isaacson, President of the Aspen Institute. Please click here to view bios and photos of these leaders.

Sat, 15 May 2010 14:07:42 -0600

"Why New Orleans Needs Saving", Time, March 6, 2006, by former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich (R-GA) and John M. Barry, author of Rising Tide and The Great Influenza

BRAF

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 12:34:41 -0600

Dear Prospective Member/Donor:

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 12:19:39 -0600

All online contributions for Friends of New Orleans are managed courtesy of the Baton Rouge Area Foundation. (This saves us time and money!)

To join FONO and donate online, please click the button below and you will be brought to the Baton Rouge Area Foundation's web site in order to complete this secure transaction:

If you do not wish to contribute online and prefer to mail your donation, please send your check to: Friends of New Orleans, 4536 North 25th Rd., Arlington, VA 22207.

Thank you!

P.S. All your online donations are deposited to the Friends of New Orleans Fund which supports all of our efforts on behalf of New Orleans and surrounding parishes. All FONO donations are tax deductible.

Since Katrina hit the coast of Louisiana and the levees broke, Friends of New Orleans has helped the city and its surrounding parishes by:

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 14:38:28 -0600

1. Advocating for the Region and Informing Policymakers
Every year FONO hosts educational briefings and panel discussions for policymakers, congressional staff and decision makers, to discuss the progress made by New Orleans and surrounding parishes, post-Katrina, and the challenges that still lie ahead.

2. Linking Local Leaders/Organizations with Donors that Care to Create Opportunities for Action
FONO provides opportunities for neighborhood leaders and local organizations from New Orleans to meet donors and discuss what is working in the recovery efforts, as well as the continued needs of the communities. FONO organizes and hosts educational donor events all across the country.

3. Putting a National Spotlight on the City and Giving Local Leaders a Voice
FONO events highlight key issues for the region's recovery - such as better levees and coastal restoration, good schools and adequate healthcare, safe and vibrant neighborhoods - that generate national media attention. FONO makes it possible for local leaders to tell their stories of how they are making New Orleans a better place to live, and the challenges they face on the road to recovery.

Learn about all of FONO's efforts towards New Orleans' Rebirth during the past 4 years by clicking this link: FONO 4 Year Report

"New Orleans - The Business and Social Entrepreneur Revolution" 2010 FONO Events Will Celebrate What People with Vision and Passion Can Accomplish on April 6 in San Francisco and in Los Angeles (Date TBD)

Sat, 05 Dec 2009 11:51:06 -0600

The purpose of these April FONO California events is to educate business leaders, investors and donors in California on the business and social entrepreneur movement in New Orleans that is capturing everyone's imagination. (Made the cover of Entrepreneur Magazine - "New Orleans: Four Years After Katrina, Entrepreneurs are Reconstructing the Iconic City" Aug 09, NY Times - "Entrepreneurs Leverage New Orleans's Charm to Lure Small Business" Jul 09, Wall St. Journal - "Entrepreneurs Take to Big Easy" Aug 09.) The two FONO events will highlight the cool and exciting things that are happening in New Orleans and, in the year of the 5th anniversary of Katrina, will celebrate how far the city has come. The LA event will feature James Carville (CNN Political Strategist and FONO Founder), Taylor Hackford (Academy Award Winning Film Director and FONO Board Member) and Harry Shearer (Comedian, Actor, Musician and FONO Board Member). New Orleans leaders behind the business entrepreneur movement who will be highlighted at both events include: Michael Hecht (President of GNO Inc.), Tim Williamson (President of Idea Village), plus the CEOs of 4 local startup companies that have gone national including Matt Wisdom of TurboSquid, Robbie Vitrano of NAKEDPizza, Chris Laibe of the Schedulist and Stacey Danner and Lea Keal of Sustainable Environmental Enterprises. Social entrepreneurs that FONO will also highlight at both events include: Beth Galante (Executive Director of Global Green New Orleans), Pat Cooper (President of the Early Childhood and Family Learning Center Foundation) and Phyllis Landrieu (Leading NOLA Early Learning & Child Advocate), Kyle Wedberg and Sally Perry (President/CEO and Executive Director of the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts), and Dr. Benjamin P. Sachs (Dean of the Tulane Medical School and leader behind the Tulane Community Health Clinics).

For more information on these incredible NOLA entrepreneurs and the fascinating work they are doing, Click Here.

The San Francisco after work reception and talk on April 6 is by invitation only and will be limited to Bay Area business leaders and investors, in addition to corporate, foundation and individual donors who are interested in learning more about what is happening in New Orleans. The Los Angeles VIP reception and benefit dinner (date TBD) will take place at a Hollywood home and will be open to all FONO donors and sponsors. Sponsorship levels for the Los Angeles VIP reception and benefit dinner are available at the $1,000 and up levels. For information on how you can sponsor and/or attend these events, please contact FONO Acting Executive Director and Founding Board Member, Denise Byrne at prdenise@aol.com.

FONO Visits with Leaders Behind the Central City Renaissance - October 24-30, 2009

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 11:56:38 -0600

From October 24-30, FONO Acting Executive Director, Denise Byrne met with the key neighborhood leaders and organizations that are doing work in Central City plus the funders that are supporting this work. Right now the Central City area of New Orleans is undergoing a renaissance of sorts thanks in part to the major investments being made by large national foundations such as Ford and Kellogg, in addition to local and regional funders such as the Greater New Orleans Foundation (GNOF) and the Foundation for the Mid South. During this visit FONO met with the following nonprofit and neighborhood leaders to learn more about what is happening with Central City so that FONO can begin to put a spotlight on their work and get others to get involved. These included: Phyllis Cassidy/Good Work Networks - They do micro enterprise development with an equity focus. Kysha Brown and Saundra Reed/Central City Renaissance Alliance - Think of themselves as the leaders and conveners in the neighborhood. Carol Bebelle/Ashe Cultural Arts Center - Vibrant African American cultural arts center and a key player in the neighborhoods development. Lynette Colin/OC Haley Blvd Merchants Assoc - Working to make the OC Haley Corridor a cultural, historical, business corridor and the "spine" of the neighborhood. Craig Cuccia and Sister Mary Lou/Café Reconcile - Best place to have lunch and a key player rehabilitating the neighborhood and putting people back to work. Douglas Evans and Jay Banks/Dryades YMCA - Run one of the neighborhood's charter schools and provide training and support to families so that they can become self-sufficient. Patrick Cooper/Mahalia Jackson Early Learning Center - Renovating an existing building into an early learning center with a neighborhood resource center which will do outreach work to every family in Central City. Una Anderson, Linda Pompa, Shawn Escoffery and Jocquelyn Marshall/CJ Peete -This is a huge mixed income housing development project in the heart of Central City where the CJ Peete projects stood before. Audrey Browder/Central City Partnership - This is the neighborhood association for Central City.

Funders involved in Central City that FONO met with and spoke to about Central City include: Dr. Albert Ruesga and Ellen Lee - Greater New Oreans Foundation (GNOF), Joan Coulter - Reily Foundation, Patty Riddlebarger - Entergy, Flozell Daniels - Louisiana Disaster Recovery Foundation (LDRF), Byron Harrell - Baptist Community Ministries, Ashleigh Gardere - JP Morgan Chase, Dr. Ivye Allen - Foundation for the Mid South, William Buster - Kellogg Foundation and Jerry Maldonado - Ford Foundation.

FONO Board Members and Local Partners Present at The Great Mississippi River Symposium - New Orleans, October 25, 2009

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 11:58:57 -0600

The Great Miss. River Symposium was an international event organized by the Greek Orthodox Church and included dignitaries and attendees from all over the world. FONO Board Members, John Barry and Denise Byrne were asked to present as panelists. There were also several FONO local partners that also made presentations during the conference including: Anne Milling/WOS, King Milling/America's Wetland, Beth Galante/Global Green New Orleans, Charles Allen/Holly Cross Neighborhood, and Sandy Rosenthaal/Levees.org.

For transcripts and videos of this entire conference go to http://www.rsesymposia.org.

FONO Works with Deutsche Welle Radio to cover New Orleans' Rebirth Story in Europe during the 4th Anniversary of Katrina - August 2009

Sun, 30 Aug 2009 12:01:25 -0600

FONO Acting Executive Director, Denise Byrne, met with Christina Bergmann, Washington DC correspondent of Deutsche Welle Radio, one of the most important radio station in Germany. FONO gave Christina information on key issues still faced by the residents of the NOLA metropolitan region on their road to recovery plus put the correspondent in direct contact with key NOLA leaders whom she interviewed the week before the 4th Anniversary of Katrina. These included: Janet Woodka (Federal Coordinator for Gulf Coast Rebuilding), Sarah Usdin and Tony Recasner of New Schools New Orleans, LaToya Cantrell of Broadmoor, Father Vien of East New Orleans, Dr. Benjamin Sachs of Tulane Medical School and John Barry, Head of the New Orleans Levee board and FONO board member. As a result of these meetings, Deutsche Welle Radio ran three major stories on German radio the week of August 29, 2009 which ran all over Europe and were also covered in part by National Public Radio in the US.

To view these articles and hear the audio reports in German go to the following links:

Article #1: http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,4607813,00.html. Audio for Article #1: http://www.dw-world.de/dw/episode/0,,4490422,00.html?maca=de-podcast_fokus-welt-1698-xml-mrss

Article #2: http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,4607945,00.html. Audio for Article #2: http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,4602356,00.html.

Article #3: http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,4652179,00.html. Audio for Article #3:
http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,4655924,00.html

"Housing, Education and Health in New Orleans Today" FONO Event at the Aspen Institute in Colorado - August 12, 2009

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 12:04:53 -0600

This event helped to highlight the complex issues that the Greater New Orleans region still faces on the road to recovery, in addition to celebrating the progress that local leaders and residents have accomplished. Distinguished panelists included Dr. Benjamin Sachs (head of Tulane Medical School) and Dr. Jim Doty (Stanford University Professor of Neurosurgery, on boards of Tulane University and FONO) who spoke about the role of community health care clinics in giving residents much needed access to basic and preventative medical services. Tony Recasner (Chairman of the Board of New Schools New Orleans, and Vice Chair of the Greater New Orleans Foundation) and Dr. Albert Ruesga (President/CEO, Greater New Orleans Foundation) spoke about New Orleans transforming its schools and neighborhoods, and becoming a model for the rest of the nation. "The City had one of the nation's worst public school systems but, in the wake of Katrina, neighborhoods have been taking their schools back. Sixty percent of the city's children now attend a public charter school, neighborhoods have taken ownership of their schools and test scores are on the rise," Recasner said. Allison Plyer of the Greater New Orleans Community Data Center said that 90% of pre-Katrina residents have moved back to their homes and Kristin Palmer (Executive Director of Rebuilding Together New Orleans) spoke about the incredible rebuilding effort that is seen throughout the city and the role of nonprofits and volunteer programs such as AmeriCorps in these efforts. Karen Gadbois (Carrollton Neighborhood Leader and Watchdog Blogger) and Harry Shearer (comedian, actor, musician, New Orleans resident and celebrity blogger) spoke about civic engagement and holding the government accountable for its actions and promises. The event was moderated by Walter Isaacson (President/CEO of The Aspen Insitute and FONO Founder) and the MC for the evening was Stephen DeBerry (CIO at Kapor Enterprises and FONO Board Chair). Janet Woodka, the Federal Coordinator for Gulf Coast Rebuilding, under the Dept. of Homeland Security, spoke about the new administration's efforts to better coordinate the release of funds and to reduce friction between local, state and federal agencies. Following the talk at the Aspen Institute, these New Orleans leaders were recognized and celebrated at a VIP reception and benefit dinner with FONO donors at the home of Alex Kaufman.

For a video recording of this FONO event "Housing, Education and Health in New Orleans Today" please go to the following link http://vod.grassrootstv.org/vodcontent/8362-1.wmv

An article on this event by the Aspen Daily News can be viewed at http://www.aspendailynews.com/section/home/136071

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 20:15:20 -0600

Broadmoor Improvement Association
www.broadmoorimprovement.com

Central City Renaissance Alliance
www.myccra.org

East New Orleans / Mary Queen of Vietnam CDC
www.mqvncdc.org

Gentilly Civic Improvement Association
www.gcia.org

Holy Cross Neighborhood Association
www.holycrossneighborhood.org

Lakeview Civic Improvement Association
www.lakeviewcivic.org

Mid City Neighborhood Organization
www.mcno.org

Plaquemines Community Foundation
http://www.gnof.org/index.php/initiatives/category/plaquemines

St. Bernard Community Foundation
http://www.gnof.org/index.php/initiatives/category/st_bernard

To connect with a partner organization, click here.