The Laura Bush Foundation for America’s Libraries announced the second round of 2017 Disaster Relief Initiative grants totaling more than $1.3 million were distributed to 38 school libraries from Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Texas, California, and Florida that were damaged in natural disasters last fall.
Dallas, TX – Today, The Laura Bush Foundation for America’s Libraries announced the second round of 2017 Disaster Relief Initiative grants totaling more than $1.3 million were distributed to 38 school libraries from Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Texas, California, and Florida that were damaged in natural disasters last fall.
“As a former librarian, I know school libraries are important to improving student achievement, and with the second round of grants from the 2017 Disaster Relief Initiative, these schools can start on the path to full recovery,” said Mrs. Laura Bush. “To everyone affected during last year’s natural disasters, you have support from neighbors across the nation. Your hard work and can-do spirit ensures that your cities and schools will thrive again.”
In January, the Laura Bush Foundation initially awarded over $850,000 to 17 school libraries affected by Hurricane Harvey. With the second round of 2017 Disaster Relief Initiative grants, the Laura Bush Foundation has now awarded over $2 million to school libraries devastated by the storms and fires that ravaged schools around the country last fall.
The schools receiving grants will benefit with discounts on new books and materials generously offered by Scholastic Inc., Follett School Solutions, Mackin Educational Resources and Bound to Stay Bound.
In response to a shattering season of storms and wildfires, The Laura Bush Foundation for America’s Libraries established the 2017 Disaster Relief Initiative to help rebuild school libraries that were damaged or destroyed in recent natural disasters in Texas, Florida, California, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico.
The 2017 Disaster Relief Initiative is the second time the Laura Bush Foundation has assisted in disaster relief efforts. The “Gulf Coast School Library Recovery Initiative,” created and raised as a separate and special fund, helped rebuild school library collections affected by the devastation of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005. The Laura Bush Foundation awarded nearly $6.5 million in grants to 124 schools in the Gulf Coast area between 2006 and 2012.
For more information on how to support the 2017 Disaster Relief Initiative, please visit www.laurabushfoundation.org.
The Laura Bush Foundation for America’s Libraries provides grants of up to $7,000 to our Nation’s neediest schools so they can extend, update, and diversify the book and print collections in their libraries with the goal of encouraging students to develop a love of reading and learning. Since its inception in 2002, it has awarded over $14.3 million to more than 2,700 schools across the country.
The 2017 Disaster Relief Initiative
SECOND ROUND GRANT RECIPIENTS
Anova Center for Education—Santa Rosa, Calif.
Cardinal Newman High School—Santa Rosa, Calif.
Redwood Adventist Academy—Santa Rosa, Calif.
Dr. Henry Mack/West Little River K-8 Center—Miami, Fla.
Laura C Saunders Elementary—Homestead, Fla.
Colegio San Antonio Abad—Humacao, Puerto Rico
Colegio San Antonio de Padua—San Juan, Puerto Rico
Daniel Vélez Soto Elementary School—Lares, Puerto Rico
Dr. Manuel De La Pila Iglesias—Ponce, Puerto Rico
Escuela Nueva Quebrada Arenas—Toa Alta, Puerto Rico
Escuela Superior Lino Padron Rivera–Vega Baja, Puerto Rico
Escuela Superior Ocupacional y Técnica de Yauco—Yauco, Puerto Rico
Especializada Libre de Musica de Arecibo—Arecibo, Puerto Rico
Federico Degetau—Arecibo, Puerto Rico
Maria Vazquez de Umpierre—Bayamon, Puerto Rico
Roman Colon Correa—Coamo, Puerto Rico
S.U. Nicolás Rodríguez García—Corozal, Puerto Rico
San Vicente—Vega Baja, Puerto Rico
S.U. Macaná Gloria M Borrero Oliveras—Guayanilla, Puerto Rico
Visitacion Pagan- Aponte—Orocovis, Puerto Rico
Central Medical Magnet High School—Beaumont, Texas
Clifton Middle School—Houston, Texas
Forest Brook Middle School—Houston, Texas
Harmony School of Science—Houston, Texas
Moore Elementary—Houston, Texas
Thompson Intermediate School—Houston, Texas
Refugio High School—Refugio, Texas
Alexander Henderson Elementary Public School—Frederiksted, U.S. Virgin Islands
Eulalie R. Rivera Elementary School—Frederiksted, U.S. Virgin Islands
Arthur A. Richards Junior High School—Frederiksted, U.S. Virgin Islands
Elena L. Christian Jr. High School—Christiansted, U.S. Virgin Islands
John H. Woodson Jr. High School—Christiansted, U.S. Virgin Islands
Lew Muckle Elementary—Christiansted, U.S. Virgin Islands
Pearl B. Larsen Elementary School—Christiansted, U.S. Virgin Islands
Alfredo Andrews Elementary School—St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands
St. Croix Career Technical and Education Center—Kingshill, U.S. Virgin Islands
St. Croix Educational Complex High School (SCEC)—Kingshill, U.S. Virgin Islands
Yvonne E. Milliner Bowsky Elementary School—St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
