Fundraising Event to Take Place at 12 p.m. -3 p.m., Sunday, June 28, at the Broad Street Ruby Slipper Location
New Orleans, LA — Breakfast and brunch never tasted so good. The New Orleans Ruby Slipper team is inviting guests to add $1, $3, or $5 to their checks now through June 30, 2026. Proceeds will benefit Project Lazarus, a New Orleans-based nonprofit dedicated to supporting individuals living with HIV through transitional housing and comprehensive care.
In addition to this charitable feature, the Ruby Slipper is also hosting a “Project Lazarus Day” social on June 28, from 12 p.m.-3 p.m., at the restaurant chain’s Broad Street location. Brendan Gillespie, Ruby Slipper regional marketing manager, said the event was created to align with PRIDE month and to celebrate the nonprofit’s origins as a safe space for queer people during the height of the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
“Having one of the only remaining housing programs in the country dedicated to people living with HIV right here in New Orleans is incredibly special. Organizations like Project Lazarus stepped in during the HIV/AIDS epidemic and created a refuge, offering care, dignity, and compassion to those who needed it most.
When it came time to choose a charity to support this year, there was absolutely no question. Project Lazarus continues to lead with unwavering compassion, providing critical support to those living with HIV/AIDS. It’s an honor to work alongside such a longstanding organization, one that, in the face of adversity, stood firm and fought for the protection and rights of people who couldn’t do it alone,” Gillespie said.
Guests can enjoy menu items such as Peaches & Cream Beignets, Sweet Heat Chicken & French Toast Bites, and Chicken St. Charles Bennie. Additional restaurant staples include The Peacemaker Bennie (choose any two of their Benedicts), Cinnamon Swirl Pancakes, Salmon Avocado Toast, Ruby Mimosa, Morning Margarita, and their award-winning Bacon Bloody Mary. Ruby Slipper is also donating $1 to Project Lazarus for every Pride T-shirt and Pride flight sold this year through June 30, 2026.
Project Lazarus Executive Director Ian Bicko said the event is a wonderful opportunity to pair New Orleans’ legendary love of food with social good.
“We at Project Lazarus are honored to be recognized by Ruby Slipper during this year’s PRIDE celebrations as we continue to serve the HIV/AIDS community, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Through all iterations of HIV and its impacts, Project Lazarus and the New Orleans LGBTQ+ community have always been in lockstep as we serve the most vulnerable among us. Local gatherings and fundraisers like this help ensure that our residents have the opportunity to live for a better and healthier tomorrow,” Bicko added.
Project Lazarus began as a trailblazing entity that was established at the beginning of the HIV/AIDs epidemic, providing hospice and caretaking services to individuals and families affected by the virus. Today, the nonprofit’s holistic programming covers gaps of care for many people impacted by housing and food insecurity, a history of substance use, mental health diagnoses, and more. It serves over 70 people annually, including under-resourced Black and Hispanic/Latino communities disproportionately impacted by new HIV diagnoses within the Greater New Orleans region.
For information about Project Lazarus, please visit www.projectlazarus.net, or email Development Manager Lluvia Peveto at lpeveto@projectlazarus.net.
Media Contact:
Lluvia Peveto
Development Manager
Project Lazarus
lpeveto@projectlazarus.net
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