NEA provides $500,000 for Katrina relief

The NEA has provided almost $500,000 in direct aid to students, teachers and school employees affected by Hurricane Katrina.

NEA President Reg Weaver presented checks to NEA affiliates in Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas during a two-day trip. Weaver also met with displaced teachers, students and their families in Mobile, Alabama; Jackson, Mississippi; Baton Rouge, Louisiana; and Houston, Texas.

“I will never forget what I have seen, or what these brave people have told me,” Weaver said “I will carry their stories with me to make sure that leaders at the national, state and local levels understand how important it is that we join together and help.”

“These children need a sense of security and safe place to call home,” Weaver said. “School is an important way to help fulfill those needs. We can’t let ourselves be complacent when it comes to educating these students. It’s vital to their health and well-being that they attend great public schools and continue their learning.”

The funds provided by NEA will help displaced students buy school supplies, textbooks and in some cases, clothes.

“This is just the beginning of what is going to be a very long journey,” Weaver cautioned. “We have to keep the long-term needs of these displaced students in any plans that are made for recovery and rebuilding efforts. Providing them with great public schools should by one of our highest priorities. These students deserve nothing less.”

The NEA also has established a toll-free hotline number for schools, teachers and school employees to apply for grants that total $1 million.

Public school employees who want to apply for assistance should call 1-866-247-2239. Public school employees personally impacted by Hurricane Katrina are eligible to apply for grants to meet various needs, including: housing, food, clothing and other personal needs.

NEA pledges to raise $1 million for students, teachers and school employees affected by Hurricane Katrina

The NEA announced Wednesday (September 7, 2005) that it will raise $1 million to go directly to students, teachers and school employees affected by Hurricane Katrina.

WEAC also is working on ways to help hurricane victims. The WEAC Board will be discussing this issue over the weekend. Updates will be posted here next week.

“America’s teachers and school employees are a generous group of people, and we are setting up this fundraising effort to directly connect those who want to give with the students, teachers and school employees who need help,” NEA President Reg Weaver said.

On the NEA's Web site, you can find out the latest on how Katrina is affecting educators and children nationwide – and what you can do to help. Bulletin boards on the site allow NEA members to exchange information, resources and aid and starting on September 9, schools can sign up to adopt a school in need.

In addition to the bulletin board, the NEA will have a toll-free number (1-866-247-2239) for donations and will be accepting credit card donations by the end of the week on its Web site. Those who want to contribute by check can do so by writing it to: NEA HIN Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund and sending it to the NEA HIN Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund, Suite 216, 1201 16th St. NW, Washington, DC 20036. All of the money raised will go directly to those in need.

NEA’s other hurricane relief efforts include:

• Deploying staff to states that were impacted by the hurricane, as well as states with large numbers of displaced families to help with recovery, relief and rebuilding efforts for children, teachers, school employees and parents.
• Working with business partners to develop joint relief projects to benefit schools in need of rebuilding and schools taking in displaced students.
• Advocating for flexibility from the federal government in addressing the issues that arise from the rapidly changing shifts in school populations. Letters on this issue were sent to Department of Education Secretary Margaret Spellings and members of Congress this week.
  

For more information about what the NEA is doing to help victims of the hurricane, and to find out what else you can do, go to:

www.nea.org/presscenter/katrina.html

Mississippi Association of Educators creates Crisis Response Team

The following message was delivered by MAE President Beverly Brahan

MAE has established a Crisis Response Team in order to best meet the needs of school employees and children across the state in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Right now, some of the biggest requests for assistance are from members in school districts with a huge influx of displaced students. A few districts are choosing to hire retired teachers and open a school exclusively for these students.

If you know of anyone interested in sending book bags and school supplies for elementary, middle and high school students please give them my e-mail address, bbrahan@nea.org, and encourage them to contact me. Through NEA's Hurricane Relief Fund, we are preparing to supply financial assistance to our affected members and children from the gulf coast. Thank you Team NEA!

There is a massive campaign in Mississippi to enroll all evacuated students in school. There are no schools in the shelters. Families with school-age children in shelters in the gulf coast area are being relocated to shelters in the central and northern parts of Mississippi. I know other states are beginning to receive evacuees also so this may be a heads-up on how to help your members who will be enrolling these new students also.

Thank you so very much for your outpouring of support!! You have made this devastating time more bearable. MAE thanks our entire NEA family for supporting us in this unbelievable time of need.

Thank you, thank you, thank you,

Beverly

Beverly Brahan, President
Mississippi Association of Educators
1-800-530-7998

Updated September 9, 2005