What We Do
The New Orleans Hispanic Heritage Foundation is a non-profit community organization whose main purpose is to cultivate and promote the Hispanic heritage within the New Orleans community and the greater region. The NOHHF supports activities that provide an opportunity to experience Hispanic culture through art, education, food, and music with the aspiration of creating a stronger more diverse, and culturally rich community. To that end, the Foundation uses its Scholarship Program to support and encourage the academic achievement of Hispanic students at local high schools by providing them with merit-based educational scholarships. The NOHHF has recently initiated a Mentoring Program to help outstanding Hispanic students plan for and develop their future academic and professional careers. The Foundation believes that by helping to educate the Hispanic young people of New Orleans, they will have better life opportunities and choices and, in turn, make their own contributions to the health and well-being of the community in the future.
The NOHHF is governed and managed by a board of volunteers, all local professionals. Since most of the work and expenses of the NOHHF are assumed by its volunteers most of the money that is contributed to the Foundation goes to the scholarships that are awarded to these outstanding young men and women. Since 1993 the NOHHF has awarded over 1220 high school and freshman-year college scholarships to high-achieving students who attend schools in our area and go to distinguished Higher Education Institutions in the Country. These students go on to be responsible leaders and make substantial contributions to the betterment of our community.
The main source of funding for the NOHHF is its annual fundraising event, the Azúcar Ball, a popular black-tie evening event supported by loyal corporate and individual sponsors and patrons who attend, what St. Charles Avenue magazine calls, the “Best Dancing Party in New Orleans”. Other sources of funding for the Foundation include special donations and grants from various institutions and corporations.