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Red Beans ‘N’ Rice Cook-Offs Raise Funds for Suicide Prevention and Other Services

Our last two Mondays were extra spicy at the 2025 East and West St. Tammany Red Beans ‘N’ Rice Cook-Offs. The community came together for this time-honored friendly competition among local law enforcement agencies, firefighters, first responders, government offices, businesses, and community members.

Teams cooked up their family recipes, served creative sides, dished out homemade desserts, and decorated their booths with flair, hoping to take home a win. Their efforts raised over $34,000 to support suicide prevention and other programs serving St. Tammany Parish. Thank you to all of the teams, sponsors, judges, volunteers, and supporters who made 2025 one to remember.

Mental health remains a significant, yet often hidden, issue in our community. In 2023, suicide was the third leading cause of death among individuals aged 10 to 24 in Louisiana. Together, we can help prevent these tragedies by ensuring that mental health and crisis support are available to everyone, everywhere.

We are grateful to our presenting sponsors and all supporters who made this event possible:

West St. Tammany Red Beans ‘N’ Rice Sponsors: 

LOOP LLC., St. Tammany Health System, and Ochsner

East St. Tammany Red Beans ‘N’ Rice Sponsors: 

Slidell Memorial Hospital, Ochsner, and Pelican Urgent Care

Camellia Brand Beans, who generously provided the perfect red beans to each team, adding authentic flavor to every batch.

We honored Joe DiGiovanni for his 21 years of dedicated volunteerism at the East Red Beans ‘N’ Rice Cook-off, and we appreciate Pastor Fred Young, NAMI’s faith-based liaison, for attending both events and sharing how the cook-offs directly support local mental health services.

Last, we want to recognize our dear friend Ken Johnston of LOOP LLC, who is retiring this year and stepping down from the planning committee. His leadership and support helped shape the cook-offs, and we wish him well in retirement.

Congratulations to this year’s award winners.

West St. Tammany Winners

Judges’ Pick – Best Beans

  • First Place: St. Tammany Fire District #9
  • Second Place: St. Tammany Parish Government
  • Third Place: Northshore Mandeville Kiwanis

 

People’s Choice – Best Beans

  • First Place: Atmos Energy
 

Best Decorated Booth

  • First Place: St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office
  • Honorable Mention: St. Tammany Clerk of Courts
 

Best Dessert

  • First Place: St. Tammany Fire District #9
  • Honorable Mention: St. Tammany Fire District #2

 

Community Spirit

  • First Place: St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office
  • Honorable Mention: Loop, LLC

 

Police Battle of the Badge Award

  • Mandeville Police Dept. FOP Lodge 42
 

Fireman Helmet Award

  • St. Tammany Fire District #9
WEST Red Beans 'N' Rice Cook-off - Covington 7.28.25

East St. Tammany Winners

  • Judges’ Pick – Best Beans
  • First Place: Slidell Memorial Hospital | Ochsner
  • Second Place: In-Telecom
  • Third Place: Krewe of Titans
 

People’s Choice – Best Beans

  • First Place: JD Bank
  • Honorable Mention: East St. Tammany Rainbow Childcare Center
 

Best Decorated Booth

  • First Place: St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office
  • Honorable Mention: The Harbor Center
 

Best Dessert

  • First Place: East St. Tammany Rainbow Childcare Center
  • Honorable Mention: JD Bank
 

Community Spirit

  • First Place: St. Tammany Sheriff’s Office
  • Honorable Mention: East St. Tammany Rainbow Childcare Center

 

EAST Red Beans 'N' Rice Cook-off 8.4.25

Helena Moreno

Campaign Email:  letsgo@helenamorenola.com
Contact Phone Number:  (504) 655-2878


Campaign Website and Social Media Handles
www.helenamorenola.com
@HelenamorenoHQ  |  @helenamorenola

Commitment: If elected, would you dedicate additional funding in the City budget for early care and education?

Yes.

If so, how would you prioritize it in the budget?

Both in the state legislature and city council, I’ve been a strong supporter of bringing early childhood education to New Orleans. In 2018, we allocated the first $1.5M in city funds for additional seats. As Council President, we doubled that to $3M. I was the lead author to put the pre-k millage on the ballot, providing millions more. I will continue this work as mayor. As for additional funding for pre-k, is there anything more important? We have demonstrated to the public that local government can make progress on this issue with increased resources. There are competing priorities, especially when it comes to drainage, but our kids desperately need pre-k, and so do our parents, who are under pressure to be both caregiver and financial provider.

Commitment:  If elected, will you use your power and platform to advocate at the state and federal levels for sustained early childhood funding? If yes, please describe the specific actions you will take to do this.

Yes.

Every leader at the local, state, and federal levels should be working together to provide high-quality early childhood education to our young people. I will always shout from the rooftops about the enormous benefits of Head Start and pre-k, along with Medicaid, SNAP, public housing, and kids’ programming on PBS. As mayor, I will lead a broad intergovernmental relations effort with constant coordination between city leadership, the legislative delegation, and advocates. I don’t think anyone is listening, for now, but that can change. More broadly, this is why the mayoral election is so important. New Orleans needs to stand on its own two feet. No one is coming to rescue us, so we must be strong in the face of unprecedented economic, environmental, and political headwinds.

Commitment: If elected, will you commit to ensuring our early care and education providers can keep their doors open, grow their business, pay a living wage to their teachers, and help ensure families and educators can continue to afford to live in the city? If yes, please describe the specific actions you will take to do this.

Yes.

Child care providers will have a strong supporter in the mayor’s office when I am elected. Our city hall will serve as a hub, connecting needs and resources, with a focus on streamlining red tape for critical service providers, such as those offering child care. It is not enough to have more early childhood seats; we need quality. Even at current levels of local and state funding, pre-K early education programs exist in an environment where low wages are the norm and facilities are often in disrepair. The current climate at the state and federal levels may preclude additional funds. Yet, at the local level, as I mentioned earlier, is there anything more important than pre-k? We have demonstrated to the public that local government can make progress on this issue with increased resources.

Commitment: If elected, would you commit to ensuring essential local workers – including those in city government – can access childcare through local providers, and that private sector employers do their part in ensuring their employees can access the childcare they need to work, be productive, and grow our economy? If yes, please elaborate on how you would fulfill this commitment.

Yes.

I will always advocate amongst employers and at the state level for a real-living wage that can provide for a family. In workplaces across New Orleans and at city hall, I see parents working double time, struggling to keep up due to a lack of child care. Part of the answer is more public school seats for children aged 6 months to 4 years old. For older kids, I want NORD to do more. A lot more. I have been a leader in expanding NORD’s budget to record highs. Now the goal is to maximize services during non-school hours. Summer enrichment is especially crucial to prevent any backslide. In short, I want to usher in a NORD Renaissance, especially after school. This would go a long way, especially for working parents who need a few more critical hours of support before they can leave work.

Commitment: If elected, will you commit to maintaining this office and protecting these investments?

Yes.

How will you ensure these efforts are sustained beyond your term and are prioritized in future budgets?

Yes. I helped lead the effort for early childhood education with Agenda for Children, and I will commit to maintaining and protecting these early childhood investments. They were hard won, and we cannot lose them. If anything, we need an expansion, which will be the key subject of future budgets, which must balance ALL the city’s needs. The bottom line: we must support families, or else they will simply leave, and New Orleans will not have a future.