Prototyped to Proof- Building to Sustain

The Institute of Utopian Hospitality was founded in 2024 on a simple but radical belief: hospitality is not just a service. It is a spiritual and social practice that helps communities survive and thrive.

Inspired by the leadership of our founder, Rev. Keely Lewis, High Priestess of the Temple of Utopian Hospitality, IUH was created to help New Orleans do more than endure the climate crisis. We believe our city deserves to thrive within it.

Two Years of Prototypes

Since our founding, IUH has been building in motion. Working with local experts, nature educators, and food policy advocates, we have developed the blueprint for a more resilient city.

• With Utopian Seeds, Not Beads, we are transforming the tradition of throwing plastic parade waste into living landscapes, proving that our "waste" could become our wealth.

• Through Powering Your Life, we show that energy sovereignty can be practical, local, and accessible, de-mystifying solar for renters and homeowners alike.

• With our work at the Climate Adaptation Forum, we successfully advocated for intersectional solutions—insisting that true resilience must include housing sovereignty, living wages, and food security.

The Need for an Anchor

Our vision has grown, but our footprint has remained temporary. To move from prototypes to property, we need a place to stand.

This GiveNOLA Day, we are raising $125,000 to secure a physical home for IUH — a safe space where our collaborators can gather, our neighbors can be fed, and our youth can be trained in the tools of autonomy.

A Sanctuary of Sovereignty

Our new home will serve as a living lab for community care. It will allow us to:

Grow and manage. Use bioswales, rain gardens, and a lush tree canopy to heal the land and reduce flooding and heat.

Harvest and process. Use hoop houses and hydroponics to grow food, then prepare bulk meals in our Community Kitchen for New Orleans’ Free Fridges.

Train and power. Use solar storage and manufacturing space to provide our 12-member cohort with living-wage training and technical skills.

From Volunteer Dedication to Community Infrastructure

For the last two years, this work has been powered entirely by volunteer dedication. We have built our network, refined our prototypes, and proven our models through commitment and care. But to turn a nomadic project into a permanent neighborhood engine, we must now build the infrastructure that can sustain it.

To move from prototypes to property, we need a place to stand and a team to lead.

Join the Evolution

This is the moment to move IUH from a brilliant idea into a permanent part of New Orleans’ landscape. Your gift does not just fund a nonprofit. It helps anchor a community space for resilience, learning, and care.

We have the blueprints. We have the network. We have the leadership. Now we need the home.