NEW ORLEANS WILL Support Military Families at Christmastime

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An important part of the holiday season is giving back, and especially giving back to those who serve to keep us safe. NOLA ChristmasFest at Ernest N. Morial Convention Center is providing visitors with a unique opportunity to support military families.

superdome-gingerbread

A depiction of the Supderdome is one of several gorgeous gingerbread houses benefiting Operation Homefront. (Photo courtesy NOLA ChristmasFest on Facebook)

Proceeds from their ongoing gingerbread house competition, sponsored by the Louisiana Restaurant Association, benefit Operation Homefront, a non-profit organization that provides financial assistance and other types of aid like food, home repair, and transportation for military families in need. Here’s how it works:

Voting

The gingerbread house competition runs from Dec. 12-24 (the duration of NOLA ChristmasFest) and will feature confections from celebrated local chefs and restaurants. Take your time admiring each house – you will find incredible details that showcase culinary expertise and an eye for aesthetics.

gingerbread-house-streetcar

The St. Charles streetcar gingerbread house is one of our favorites. (Photo courtesy NOLA ChristmasFest on Facebook)

Once you’ve picked your favorite, you can vote on it with your $1 (or more) donation. All proceeds benefit Operation Homefront, and, additionally, the restaurant or chef behind the winning gingerbread house will receive a separate $1,000 grand prize.

Operation Homefront

More than 90 cents of every dollar donated to Operation Homefront goes directly to military members, wounded warriors, and military families in need. Their website features a list of current needs from actual soldiers: donate directly to a cause like a single Marine father in Colorado or costs for an adapted vehicle in Missouri, or you can donate to the organization in general. The gingerbread competition will benefit the organization as a whole, helping Operation Homefront provide immediate relief, recovery and care for wounded warriors (check out their Operation Homefront Village), and recognition for military spouses.

Many thanks to NOLA ChristmasFest and the Louisiana Restaurant Association for providing this opportunity for festival-goers. We can’t wait to cast our vote for our favorite gingerbread house while also donating to such a worthy cause.