As southeast Louisiana’s fishing communities watch the ongoing oil disaster threaten their economy and way of life, the Greater New Orleans Foundation is using a grant from its Gulf Oil Spill Fund to help support critical services to fishermen—such as the Seedco Financial’s Southeast Fisheries Assistance Center.

First Grant from Greater New Orleans Foundation’s Gulf Coast Oil Spill Fund Benefits Fishermen and their Families:

“During these uncertain times, our commercial fishermen need a place to turn to get real-time information,” said Seedco Financial Senior Vice President Robin Barnes. “Along with Small Business Administration counselors, fluent in Vietnamese and Spanish, fishermen receive advice about claims, job opportunities, disaster loans, and business assistance.”

Seedco Financial, with help from the Greater New Orleans Foundation and other funding partners, launched the opening of the center after the hurricanes to provide commercial fishermen with business and financial assistance. Since it opened its doors in 2008, the Fisheries Assistance Center has provided grants and loans totaling $15 million to 545 fisheries businesses and direct technical assistance to another 150 individuals in Jefferson, Orleans, Plaquemines, and St. Bernard parishes.

“This grant is for short-term relief to help an organization that is providing critical support to fishermen and their families,” said Greater New Orleans Foundation Director of Regional Initiatives Marco Cocito-Monoc. “Just as important is addressing the long-term effects of this second disaster facing the people  who rely on the Gulf for their livelihoods. We are developing this second level of intervention and will implement it in the weeks and months ahead.”

It is estimated that there are 6,400 licensed commercial fishers in the impacted parishes.

Donations to the Gulf Coast Oil Spill Fund can be made online at www.gnof.org.

The Greater New Orleans Foundation is the community foundation serving the 13-parish Greater New Orleans metropolitan area. We design and lead initiatives that improve the region, connect donors to community needs, identify and support great nonprofits, and strengthen civil society.