CONTACTS: Staci Maiers, (202) 270-5333; Stacey Grissom (202) 822-7823

August 30, 2006 

The NEA Foundation Awards Cash Grants For Rebuilding
Gulf Coast Public School Libraries 

One year later, funds will be key in making libraries functional

WASHINGTON—Four school districts in Mississippi and Louisiana received some much needed financial help, courtesy of The NEA Foundation, to aid in the rebuilding of public school libraries and computer resources damaged by Hurricane Katrina. The cash grants -- the Foundation’s largest hurricane relief grants totaling $340,000 -- will be used to replace books, reference materials and technology lost as a result of the storm.  The NEA Foundation President and CEO Harriet Sanford and NEA President Reg Weaver presented checks to four school districts in separate events in Louisiana and Mississippi.

A year after the devastating disasters, schools in the Gulf Coast region struggle to return to normal with libraries that are barely operational. 

"Many Gulf Coast public school libraries suffered complete losses," said Sanford.  ''Although schools have received generous donations of books, they still desperately need grade-level appropriate nonfiction books to sustain their curriculum.  These cash grants will help build balanced library collections that support the schools’ instructional needs, as well as help schools replace computer equipment.''

A majority of the funds ($300,000) was provided through the Hurricane Katrina Relief Campaign, a fund of the McCormick Tribune Foundation.

The NEA Foundation Katrina Grants are part of an overall effort by NEA and its 2.8 million members to assist public schools, students and employees in the aftermath of last year’s hurricanes.  The NEA Disaster Relief Fund raised more than $1.5 million, providing cash assistance to public school employees to meet personal needs like food, clothing, housing and medicine.  NEA's Adopt-a-School program matched 223 schools with organizations and individuals willing to help with supplies, books, equipment and other basic needs.  And NEA's Read Across America brought the gift of reading to thousands of students through its ''Gulf Coast Reading Relief Tour,'' delivering books and $1,000 cash grants to each of 40 schools in the region devastated by Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma.

''A good library is a vital resource for every great public school,'' said Weaver.  ''NEA supports The NEA Foundation's important work to help rebuild Gulf Coast public schools by putting books back on shelves left empty by Hurricane Katrina."
 
Districts and schools receiving The NEA Foundation Katrina Grants are Bay High School, Bay-Waveland Middle School and Waveland Elementary of the Bay St. Louis-Waveland School District, Bay St. Louis, Miss.; Gulfview/Charles B. Murphy Elementary School, Hancock County School District, Kiln, Miss.; Phoenix High School, South Plaquemines High School and South Plaquemines Elementary School, Plaquemines Parish School District, Belle Chasse, La.; Salmen High School and St. Tammany Jr. High School, St. Tammany Parish Public Schools, Slidell, La.

More information on the organizations' hurricane relief efforts can be found online at www.neafoundation.org and www.nea.org/disasterrelief.

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ABOUT THE NEA FOUNDATION
The NEA Foundation inspires public education employees to ensure that all students succeed.  Created by the members of NEA in 1969, the Foundation is sustained by their continuing support, as well as the support of dedicated corporate sponsors and committed friends.  The Foundation’s various grant programs assist educators striving to close the achievement gaps, develop innovative classroom strategies, and participate in high-quality professional development.  The Foundation also honors teaching excellence and service to public education at its annual Salute to Excellence in Education gala.

ABOUT NEA
The National Education Association is the nation’s largest professional employee organization, representing 2.8 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support professionals, school administrators, retired educators and students preparing to become teachers.