The UNO Garden Club's initiative focuses on collecting and composting food waste from dormitories to support the university’s garden spaces.

The University of New Orleans Garden Club has been awarded a grant through the Bloomberg Philanthropies Youth Climate Action Fund for its student-led project, “Lowering Food Waste Through Gardening.” The initiative was selected as part of a citywide effort to support youth-designed climate action projects, in partnership with the Greater New Orleans Foundation.

At a recent ceremony, New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell presented grant certificates to UNO students Jacob Lefort and Emma Bourgeois, who are leading the campus-based project. Their initiative focuses on collecting and composting food waste from dormitories to support the university’s garden spaces.

The grant is part of the second round of the Youth Climate Action Fund, which supports projects aligned with the City’s Climate Action Plan. Areas of emphasis include waste reduction, energy efficiency, nature-based solutions, transportation, and community engagement.

New Orleans is one of several cities participating in the global initiative, supported by a $100,000 commitment from Bloomberg Philanthropies. Each supported project is led by young adults and reviewed through a local selection process involving city officials and community partners.

Learn more about the Bloomberg Philanthropies Youth Climate Action Fund (BYCAF): https://nola.gov/next/youth-and-families/topics/youth-climate-action-fund/