An expanse of nearly 9,500 square feet of compacted sand is ready for concrete, superstructure and netting to serve as the home of the Center for Louisiana Citrus Innovation and Research at Docville Farm in Violet, Louisiana.

Blaise Pezold has been called by some, “The Marsh Doctor.” It’s a nickname he shies away from. But standing waist-deep in the marsh checking on recent plantings, you can see in his face the dedication and concern we all hope to see in our own doctors.

When AgMagic on the River, one of the Meraux Foundation’s marquee annual events, was reformatted as a ‘virtual’ event due to the pandemic this spring, the Foundation turned disappointment into opportunity. Seeing the trend of folks taking up gardening while being stuck at home, they found creative ways to get plants and seedlings raised for AgMagic to local gardeners.

Now months into the pandemic, a number of locals have lost their jobs and been struggling to feed their families. To meet this growing need, the Meraux Foundation stepped in to provide additional funding to the Community Center of St. Bernard, a charity that provides emergency food assistance.

The Meraux Foundation and St. Bernard Economic Development Foundation are presenting the 6th annual Startup St. Bernard Competition as a livestream event. Anyone can watch the live “Shark Tank” style competition online at startupstbernard.com or here on Thursday, August 6 at 3 p.m. CST.

To help meet critical needs resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Arlene and Joseph Meraux Charitable Foundation has launched a grant program to support established 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations serving St. Bernard Parish. Its first grant more than doubles the Meraux Foundation’s annual commitment to the Community Center of St. Bernard, a charity that provides emergency food assistance to local families.

Startup St. Bernard organizers have announced that they are postponing the live pitch competition that had been scheduled for later this month. The news comes on the heels of the proclamation made by Governor John Bel Edwards that halts any gathering of more than 250 people and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendation that no gatherings with 50 people or more take place for the next eight weeks to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Startup St. Bernard organizers, the Meraux Foundation and St. Bernard Economic Development Foundation, announced the three finalists selected to compete in the $100,000 business competition: CORE: Louisiana Counseling & Recovery Center, LLC, Green Street, and Jessie. The 6th annual Startup St. Bernard competition is being held on Monday, March 23, 2020 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Meraux Foundation’s Docville Farm (5128 E. St. Bernard Highway, Violet, La.).

The Meraux Foundation, the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana (CRCL), St. Bernard Parish Government, and Two C’s Enterprises, Inc. have partnered to bring oyster shell recycling to St. Bernard Parish. It will officially launch at this weekend’s Los Isleños Fiesta, where bins will be placed to collect shells to be used in coastal restoration projects.

The St. Bernard Parish Tourism Commission recognized the Arlene and Joseph Meraux Charitable Foundation with the 2020 Friend of Tourism Award this week for the outstanding contributions the Meraux Foundation has made to supporting tourism over many years. The Friend of Tourism Award recognizes a business, person, or group of people who have contributed to efforts to promote tourism in St. Bernard Parish.

Chalmette High School and Nunez Community College each accepted $4,945 at a check presentation held at Chalmette High School on Friday, November 22, 2019 from Cook-Off for the Coast, a culinary experience and community event held to raise awareness and support coastal restoration efforts.

The Arlene and Joseph Meraux Charitable Foundation is the presenting sponsor of the 3rd annual Bayou Road Balloon Festival set for Nov. 1-3 at the Frederick J. Sigur Civic Center (8245 W Judge Perez Dr, Chalmette, LA 70043).

The International Economic Development Council (IEDC) selected Rita Gue, the president of the Arlene and Joseph Meraux Charitable Foundation, as this year’s recipient of its Institutional Leadership Award for her work to improve the economy and quality of life in St. Bernard Parish. She was honored at a ceremony that gathered economic development leaders from around the world during IEDC’s 2019 Annual Conference in Indianapolis, Ind. on Oct. 14.

The Meraux Foundation continues its support for Southeast Louisiana Legal Services to help the organization advance its mission to “achieve justice for low-income people in Louisiana by enforcing and defending their legal rights through civil legal aid, advocacy, and community education.” SLLS provides free, civil legal aid to low-income people in six offices, across 22 parishes throughout southeast Louisiana.

Not since 1973 had the Bonnet Carre Spillway remained open for as many days as it has in 2019. Eclipsing the old mark of 76 days this year, a visit to the huge flood diversion was one of the more powerful moments of this year’s Mississippi River Delta Institute.