Public School Districts Impacted by Hurricanes Receive Relief for Children and Families

Three of the four families from Galena Park school district in Texas that received assistance through the AASA/NJPA Mini-Grant program are pictured above with the district's superintendent of schools, Dr. Angi Williams. The families used the aid to purchase beds, bedding, and small appliances. 

In a typical year, up to 28 public school districts across the U.S., receive a $2,000 Helping Kids Mini Grant. The program, coordinated by AASA, The School Superintendents Association and National Joint Powers Alliance (NJPA), has helped districts help kids in need since 2012. The mini grants have been used for everything from boots and coats to dental care and even temporary housing stipends.

This was not a typical year.

Devastating storms wreaked havoc in parts of Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands this fall. The hardest-hit areas are still reeling. AASA and NJPA decided to use its Mini Grant program to help children and families in some of those communities.

In mid-December, AASA approved grants of $2,000 each to 28-hurricane affected school districts in Texas and Florida. From there, administrators provided direct support to children and families who suffered significant hardships following the hurricanes.

“We are proud to partner with AASA, and when they came to us with the request to change our typical mini-grant process we said, ‘Absolutely,’” said Dr. Chad Coauette, NJPA Executive Director/CEO. “Getting kids, families, and schools the assistance they need to establish some stability and normalcy is what this relief effort is all about. Our thoughts continue to be with those areas severely impacted by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria.”

“No one could have foreseen the widespread destruction caused by these hurricanes, impacting thousands of students,” said Daniel A. Domenech, AASA executive director. “AASA is grateful to NJPA, our premier School Solutions partner, for their support, which is helping us assist children and families suffering from the storms last fall.”

School districts receiving funds through the Mini Grant program included:

Florida

• Collier County Public Schools
• Duvall County Public Schools
• Hillsborough County Public Schools
• Lee County School District
• Manatee County School District
• Monroe County School District
• Pinellas County Schools
• Sarasota County Schools

Texas

• Aldine Independent School District
• Aransas County Independent School District
• Aransas Pass Independent School District
• Beaumont Independent School District
• Clear Creek Independent School District
• Corpus Christi Independent School District
• Crosby Independent School District
• Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District
• Galena Park Independent School District
• Goose Creek Consolidated Independent School District
• Gregory-Portland Independent School District
• Huffman Independent School District
• Ingleside Independent School District
• Pasadena Independent School District
• Port Aransas Independent School District
• Spring Branch Independent School District
• Spring Independent School District
• Taft Independent School District
• Tuloso-Midway Independent School District

These school districts will be recognized at AASA's National Conference on Education, Feb. 15-17, in Nashville, Tenn. Through a nationwide relief effort, AASA contributed additional funds to communities severely impacted by the storms. Support went to other districts in Florida and Texas as well as Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. For more information on AASA's hurricane relief efforts, visit the AASA website.

About AASA

AASA, The School Superintendents Association, founded in 1865, is the professional organization for more than 13,000 educational leaders in the United States and throughout the world. AASA's mission is to support and develop effective school system leaders who are dedicated to the highest quality public education for all children. For more information, visit www.aasa.org.