Emeril Lagasse Foundation Grants $500,000 to Girls Leadership Academy of Wilmington (GLOW)

Forming the Next Generation of Culinary Leaders

NEW ORLEANS – Emeril Lagasse Foundation announces a $500,000 grant to the Girls Leadership Academy of Wilmington (GLOW). Grant funds will be used to create the Emeril Lagasse Foundation Culinary Lab and support the culinary arts program over the next three years. This is the second-largest capital gift awarded by the Foundation.

“I am honored to support the culinary arts program here at GLOW,” said Chef Emeril Lagasse. “This program will not only create future opportunities for the students; it will improve the lives of their families and community. These young women have so much potential to really soar.”

GLOW, located in Wilmington, North Carolina, was founded in 2015 by Judy Girard, former Food Network and HGTV President. The all-girls charter school is guided by a model focused on academic rigor, personal responsibility, leadership, and college preparedness. Since its inception, GLOW has utilized culinary arts to support its STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) focused curriculum and dedication to career and technical preparedness. Support from the Foundation includes equipment, staffing, supplies, and a culinary garden for students to connect food with healthy lifestyle choices and its role in various cultures. This grant allows GLOW to further its mission and prepare students for a post-secondary education or career in the culinary field.

About Emeril Lagasse Foundation: Founded in 2002 by Chef Emeril Lagasse and his wife Alden, Emeril Lagasse Foundation is a 501c(3) public charity headquartered in New Orleans. The Foundation’s mission is to create opportunities to inspire, mentor and enable youth to reach their full potential through culinary, nutrition, and arts education with a focus on life skills development. Since its inception, Emeril Lagasse Foundation has granted more than $18.5 million to children’s charities to support culinary, nutrition, and arts programs. The Foundation accomplishes this through three programs. The Community Grants program provides programmatic and capital support to nonprofit organizations across the nation. The signature program, Emeril’s Culinary Garden & Teaching Kitchen, is a national education initiative created to enrich the lives of elementary and middle school children through a fun, fresh perspective on food. The Aarón Sánchez Impact Fund, the newest program, will provide culinary arts education and human services programming for Latino youth.

Photo Credit: Matt Ray