With the help of Lane Bryant, we’ve distributed more than $8,300 to Louisiana teachers whose classrooms were impacted by the recent flood.
The Louisiana flood was responsible for damage caused to hundreds of schools at the start of the new school year. Twenty-two public school districts were forced to close for repairs, affecting 250,000 students. We created the Louisiana Relief Fund to help registered AdoptAClassroom.org teachers affected by the flood to rebuild their classrooms.
Jim Shoff teaches 5th grade math at Twin Oaks Elementary School, and he received over $120 for his classroom from the relief fund. After his classroom was damaged, Shoff and his students had to leave their school.
“We have students who have been displaced from their home and then their school,” said Shoff. “My students were temporarily located with me on another campus. The other school was very welcoming, but it wasn’t home.”
Shoff and his students are now back to their classroom, but other schools aren’t so lucky. Schools in Denham Springs, Louisiana faced some of the most damage, many of which have yet to reopen. To help teachers in Denham Springs, retail clothing store Lane Bryant adopted all 31 Southside Elementary School teachers with over $3,800 in donations.
Connie Thibodeaux teaches special education at Denham Springs High School, and her classroom lost everything in the flood. All of her students have significant disabilities, so supplies and a consistent learning environment are a necessity for their success. Because of the flood, her students have neither.
“The contents of my classroom are a total loss, and we still remain on another school’s campus,” said Thibodeaux. “My students require so many different items–from manipulatives to sensory items, fidgets, and specialized learning aids, but these things are now gone.”
According to a 2015 Grad Nation report, 90 percent of special education students would likely meet regular diploma requirements if they received the right supports. Without donations, Thibodeaux’s students might not receive all of the support they need this school year. After receiving funds through AdoptAClassroom.org, she can start purchasing some of the needed materials the flood took from them.
“When I received a donation to my classroom, I felt very touched,” said Thibodeaux. “Having a donation will allow me to be able to replace some of the items we lost, and the impact on my students will be immediate.”
The Louisiana Relief Fund adopted more than 60 classrooms across 11 schools affected by the flood. With the help of great donors like Lane Bryant, we can continue to help Louisiana teachers restock their empty classrooms.
To support Louisiana teachers who need help rebuilding their classrooms, visit the flood relief fund here.
Want to help special education teachers like Thibodeaux? Make a donation to our Special Education Fund.