Gayle Benson donates $1.25M to Greater New Orleans Foundation for disaster relief fund

NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — The Greater New Orleans Foundation now has a new source of immediate disaster relief thanks to the establishment of the Gayle and Tom Benson Disaster Relief Fund and its $1.25 million toward the foundation.

“Because of Mrs. Benson’s gift, we will not have to scramble so much to get started when disaster strikes. We will be ready to make those first grants to get our response and recovery going and to get the additional fundraising started,” said Greater New Orleans Foundation President and CEO Andy Kopplin.

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These new funds will be deployed to the 13 parishes across southeast Louisiana to provide immediate financial support in the aftermath of a disaster or just before one’s arrival.

“We’re going to be able to make immediate grants to non-profits who are on frontlines that are providing search and rescue services, food and shelter, all the kind of emergency response that non-profit sector provides and that will be funded by through the generous gift from Mrs. Benson,” said Kopplin.

Jefferson Parish President Cynthia Lee Sheng says donations like these are crucial for quick response times by awarding grants to non-profit organizations in the region, especially while waiting for more federal funding to come in.

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“Complete difference when you’re trying to wait to get reimbursed for something or wait. It’s very very valuable, and today’s contribution to the Greater New Orleans Foundation, it really means something to us all and really the entire region,” said Sheng.

Foundation leaders say they hope to be able to utilize these funds for many years to come, helping as many residents as they can.

“We’re going to be spending the endowment earnings every year. It will never go away,” said Kopplin.

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