J.P Taravella teacher Dawn Hall and student Emily Gallagher with some of the many backpacks collected by the school’s German Club.

Broward County Public Schools staff and students showed their concern and demonstrated their generosity following the devastation on the Gulf Coast and that desire to help continued when the families of Broward students were displaced by Hurricane Wilma. Staff and Students raised over $330,000 in cash and gift cards to assist the victims of the hurricanes.

In addition to an outpouring of support for those relocated to various sites around the country following Hurricane Katrina, the Broward School District welcomed approximately 206 students from the Gulf Coast into its classrooms. Because many families had lost everything, the District did all it could to accommodate incoming students by expediting the enrollment process, providing transportation and a host of additional services. The students received new backpacks, school supplies and gift cards to be used for clothing and other necessities. Those in need of counseling were referred to social workers for assistance.

The gift cards given to families came from gift card drives held at District administrative sites. As of December 9th, those cards, combined with cards donated by business partners and community members totaled $13,684. After Hurricane Wilma hit Broward County, the need was so great that resources to help our students were nearly exhausted. But the District’s Community Involvement Department procured $20,000 to purchase additional gift cards and The Broward Education Foundation procured 1,000 school supply kits.

As of December 12th, School staffs and students along with many PTA organizations raised nearly $317,110 through a variety of fundraising projects. Most funds raised were donated to Hurricane victims through the American Red Cross or Salvation Army, but some schools zeroed in on the plight of pets and donated to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals as well. Fundraising efforts and projects to collect needed items were so numerous it is imp

New River Middle School students (L to R) Sherline Senat, Jasmine Lord, Kassandra Alfonso, Bernard Moreno, and Tatiana Lopez with teddy bears collected for children of families impacted by the recent

ossible to list them all, but here are a few:

• Many high schools participated by organizing “Beads for Needs” sales. Mardi Gras beads were sold with the profits going to assist hurricane victims.

• Griffin Elementary students collected shoe boxes and filled them with toiletries, snacks, and games. They also collected coloring books, crayons, sketch pads and pencils in the hope that art would help children better cope with their situations.

• The Quest Center’s “Sing & Sign Choir” composed of students with special needs who use American Sign Language to sing, held a special performance with proceeds going to hurricane victims.

• Members of the German Club at J. P. Taravella High School collected over 50 new backpacks and filled them with school supplies, snacks, books and clothing for Kindergarten to 12th grade students returning to school after the hurricanes.

• Students at New River Middle School assisted by students from Forest Hills and Maplewood elementary schools collected 300 teddy bears and 300 pairs of socks that were distributed to the children of families impacted by the hurricanes.

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