Just hours after Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans, Chicago’s hotel community rallied to raise money to assist its colleagues affected by the storm and to help in the effort to rebuild its visitor industry. New Orleans is currently short by more than 12,000 hospitality workers in hotels and restaurants in the area since Hurricane Katrina.
Representatives from Chicago's hotel community and three conventions that relocated to Chicago, including the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, National School Boards Association and the Society of Thoracic Surgeons traveled to New Orleans to present the New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity and the University of New Orleans' Lester E. Kabacoff School of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Administration with nearly $900,000!
Emeril Lagasse remains committed to the rebirth of New Orleans and hosted an event to celebrate Chicago’s donation to the University of New Orleans at Emeril’s on Thursday, April 19. A check for half of the funds raised was presented to the University – a total of $447,800 – to be used to fund (48) 4-year scholarships.
A check for $447,800 was also presented to the New Orleans Area Habitat during a visit to Musicians Village. The funds will be used to build six homes for families from the hospitality industry that have been displaced by the storm.