Sat Jan 04 04:20:00 UTC 2025: **New Orleans Disaster Relief Fund Swiftly Aids Bourbon Street Terror Victims**
NEW ORLEANS, LA – The Gayle and Tom Benson Disaster Relief Fund, established in July 2024 with a $1.25 million donation from New Orleans Saints owner Gayle Benson, played a crucial role in the immediate aftermath of a terrorist attack on Bourbon Street on New Year’s Day. Fourteen people were killed and numerous others injured when a driver, identified as Shamsud Din Jabbar, plowed a truck into a crowd before being killed in a shootout with police.
The fund, managed by the Greater New Orleans Foundation (GNOF), was proactively established following Hurricane damage in early July, anticipating the need for rapid disaster response. This foresight proved invaluable in providing swift aid to victims and their families.
“In the wake of the tragic events on Bourbon Street this New Year’s, we are fully committed to supporting the victims and their families,” said Benson. “Through the Greater New Orleans Foundation’s disaster relief fund, we will provide vital assistance to those affected.”
GNOF President and CEO Andy Kopplin praised Benson’s donation, stating that it eliminated the usual scramble for funding after a disaster. The GNOF serves a thirteen-parish area in metro New Orleans. The fund is already facilitating the initial grants to aid recovery efforts and spur further fundraising.
First Piper 