Economic development intersects virtually every aspect of our work to improve the quality of life in St. Bernard.
Our family foundation has donated land for the hospital, a sheriff’s substation, an elementary school, a bike path, a marina, a nature park, and other community assets; we created a two-block arts campus to spur the growth of the creative economy; we designated the Docville Farm campus for charitable purposes; we launched the business attraction and retention program Startup St. Bernard; we produced Working on the Water to help fishermen prosper; we sponsor numerous tourism and hospitality events; and we have forged local, regional, and national partnerships to bring resources to St. Bernard as well as position it as a national leader in coastal education; among much more.
“This holistic approach to economic prosperity is all too rare, and we are fortunate to have the Meraux Foundation’s guiding example in Greater New Orleans.”
Internationally Recognized
In 2019, the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) selected Rita Gue, the president of the Meraux Foundation, as the recipient of its Institutional Leadership Award. The award is presented each year to a leader of an institution who has made significant contributions to the community in support of economic development.
Leveraging Land as an Economic Driver
We work hand-in-hand with retail experts, economic development officials, land use professionals, developers, and environmentalists to manage our properties and focus on development opportunities that create jobs, strengthen the local economy, and improve the quality of life.
Revenue generated from our real estate is invested back into our charitable initiatives, including an annual program through which more than 1,000 St. Bernard Parish Public School students have been awarded scholarships.
We created Startup St. Bernard to promote the parish as a land of opportunity for businesses, especially startups. Each year, the “Shark Tank” style entrepreneur competition seeks out innovative entrepreneurs willing to give 110% to compete for a prize package worth $110K designed to help propel their business to the next level.