New Orleans Women & Children’s Shelter to host Bubbles & Bubbly 2025

Written By Alicia Vial

Fun-filled family fundraiser is now free for children under 12

NEW ORLEANS — The New Orleans Women's & Children's Shelter (NOWCS) is excited to announce the return of its biggest fundraiser of the year, Bubbles & Bubbly, presented by Gulf Coast Bank & Trust. For the first time, thanks to this partnership, children 12 and under are free with a paying adult. This year's event will be held on Sunday, March 30th in the Arbor Room at Popp Fountain in New Orleans City Park. 

The evening promises fabulous food, drinks, entertainment, games for kids and a silent auction, all to raise critical funds for NOWCS. This year’s fundraiser is also proud to feature 2025 event chair and host, WWL-TV Morning News Anchor Brheanna Boudreaux.

“It’s been an amazing year for us at the Shelter. We opened a brand-new facility on Iberville Street that allows us to double our sheltering capacity and expand crucial services to the entire family,” said NOWCS co-founder Dan Silverman. “Bubbles & Bubbly helps us achieve our goal of breaking the cycle of homelessness in New Orleans ensuring that families never return to the streets again."

Bubble Lady Linda will create a bubble wonderland for the young and young at heart. Plus, the event will feature bubbly cocktails for adults, fun mocktails, Pandora’s snoballs, bites for all from Arbor Room and Midway Pizza, hands-on activities for all ages and a fabulous silent auction.

“This year, we’ve set a goal to raise $125,000,” said NOWCS CEO Dawn Bradley-Fletcher. “These funds allow us to provide holistic support to the whole family and care for our city’s more vulnerable citizens. By supporting this Bubbles & Bubbly, you are empowering children and families to embrace a brighter future and strengthening our city.”

NOWCS is seeking businesses, Mardi Gras Krewes and local makers interested in participating to donate an item to the silent auction in the theme of “home”. Interested participants can email Chief Philanthropy Officer Madeleine Briscoe at mbriscoe@nowcs.org.

Now in its 18th year of operation, NOWCS is the only homeless shelter for intact families (including fathers) and the largest homeless shelter for women and children in the Metro area. Since 2007, NOWCS has assisted more than 4,700 parents and children recovering from homelessness with physical shelter, programs and support services. In that time, only 2% of participants have returned to homelessness. In 2024, the Shelter announced the opening of a new facility on Iberville, including en-suite bathrooms for every family, a soft-surface playground and dedicated community spaces for holistic services, including education, life skills training and children’s programming.

The event will be held Sunday, March 30 from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Arbor Room (1 Palm Dr.) at Popp Fountain in New Orleans City Park. Tickets are available beginning Feb. 1 for adults, children, families and patrons. Event sponsorships are still available. Children ages 12 and under are free (adult supervision required). Children ages 13 to 18 are $25. Early bird tickets for adults are $75, increasing to $100 on March 5. 

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit nowcs.org/bubbles.

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About New Orleans Women & Children’s Shelter
The only homeless shelter for intact families and the largest homeless shelter for women and children in the metro area, the New Orleans Women & Children’s Shelter (NOWCS) is committed to breaking the cycle of homelessness while keeping families together through coordinated, family-centered support and services. Since 2007, NOWCS has served more than 3,250 parents and children recovering from homelessness. Less than 2% of the families NOWCS has served have returned to shelter. For more information, visit www.nowcs.org. 

 

Alicia Vial

Alicia Vial is a New Orleans native with more than a decade of experience elevating client stories and leading crisis response. As the senior director of strategy, Alicia acts as a leader within the Gambel Communications team ensuring each agency team member is positioned to deliver strategic public relations services that meet the highest standards of the industry. In addition to supporting the agency’s long-term business growth and development, she coordinates day-to-day account services and oversees strategic direction while staying abreast of best practices and industry trends to provide innovative solutions to meet client’s needs.

Before joining Gambel Communications, Alicia served as the communications director for the Louisiana SPCA, the oldest and largest animal welfare organization in Louisiana that impacts more than 74,000 animals per year. During her nearly eight-year tenure, Alicia oversaw numerous crises, served on national communication taskforces, oversaw all aspects of internal and external relations and worked alongside the development department to raise critical funding. Prior to that, she worked in the fast-paced New Orleans hospitality industry focusing on digital public relations for multiple hotels.

Alicia is a member of the Public Relations Association of Louisiana (PRAL), Southern Public Relations Federation (SPRF), a board member of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) New Orleans Chapter and a member of the New Orleans Regional Leadership Institute. An accredited public relations practitioner (APR), Alicia is also certified in crisis communications, organizational leadership, content marketing and social media.

A well respected and trusted public relations practitioner, Alicia has been recognized by SPRF as a ‘Senior Practitioner of the Year’. Dubbed early on in her career as one to watch, she also received the ‘Rising Star’ award by PRAL and was profiled in St. Charles Avenue Magazine as part of their Young Bloods series. Most recently, she was recognized at PRSA’s annual Fleurish Awards and received four Awards of Excellence for her work along with the ‘Plate Spinner’ award for her efforts on the board of directors for the chapter.

An LSU graduate, Alicia received a bachelor's degree in mass communications with a concentration in public relations and minors in business administration and leadership development. She is a frequent speaker and presenter on public relations topics, most recently presenting at the Jefferson Economic Development Commission and SPRF annual conference.

When Alicia is not at work, you can find her at the ballpark with her three boys or cheering on the Tigers in Death Valley.

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