Meraux Foundation Donates $3.7M for Glass Recycling, Economic Development in St. Bernard

The Meraux Foundation announced that it has donated $2 million to the nonprofit Glassroots to assist with establishing the new glass recycling facility in St. Bernard Parish. This latest donation follows the $1.7 million the Meraux Foundation donated to St. Bernard Parish Government for the infrastructure that will enable the new glass recycling facility to be located on Paris Rd. 

Rita Gue, President of the Meraux Foundation, expressed her excitement about the donation saying, "We are delighted that our donation will help Glass Half Full establish its headquarters in St. Bernard Parish. This initiative will not only create new jobs and generate tax revenue but also reinforce our parish's reputation as a hub for coastal restoration solutions."

Glass Half Full won the annual Startup St. Bernard pitch competition in 2021, an event created and sponsored by the Meraux Foundation. Since then, the two organizations have been working diligently to actualize plans for a glass recycling facility in St. Bernard Parish. This latest effort includes the nonprofit, Glassroots, whose mission is to expand accessibility to recycling through education and outreach. 

“This partnership will expand Glassroots' recycling, education, and disaster resilience programming for Southeast Louisiana communities experiencing coastal land loss, natural disasters, and environmental injustice,” said Sebastian Brumfield-Mejia, Program Director of Glassroots.

“Investments in the creative use of recycled glass for coastal restoration and green infrastructure projects help keep our ecosystems and communities resilient for future generations.”

Glass Half Full aims to utilize recycled glass sand to aid in the restoration of Louisiana's eroding shoreline. This sustainable approach provides an alternative to traditional sand extraction methods that harm local ecosystems, exacerbate coastal erosion, and incur significant financial costs.

"We are deeply thankful to the Meraux Foundation for their crucial support in helping us establish our base of operations in St. Bernard Parish," said Franziska Trautmann, co-founder and CEO of Glass Half Full. "Their generosity enables us to expand our glass recycling efforts and provide essential materials for coastal restoration, furthering our mission to protect and restore our environment."

To date, Glass Half Full has diverted over 7 million pounds of glass from landfills. In 2023 alone, they collected more than 3.6 million pounds of glass for recycling into sand, supporting coastal restoration efforts, disaster relief initiatives, the production of new glass products, and more.

This collaboration perfectly aligns with the Meraux Foundation's commitment to coastal and environmental preservation, as it continues to safeguard and restore habitats throughout St. Bernard Parish.

In addition to supporting Glass Half Full's location in St. Bernard Parish, the Meraux Foundation has partnered with the business to provide a drop-off hub for glass recyclables in the parish. Conveniently situated at the Meraux Foundation’s Docville Farm at 5124 E St. Bernard Hwy. in Violet, this hub is open to the public Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (excluding holidays, including the upcoming closure around Memorial Day).