New Orleans schools have been hit hard by the pandemic. The back and forth between in-person and virtual learning has had its difficulties, but it has also led to a well-known group's significant donation. On Thursday (January 21), the Rex Organization awarded $1 million to local schools and education groups as part of its Pro Bono Publico Foundation.
This is the sixth year Rex has awarded $1 million grants to schools in the area. Formed after Hurricane Katrina, the foundation has given more than $9.3 million to local schools and charter school groups. Merritt Lane, a board member of the foundation, said they weren't going to let a pandemic keep them helping educational groups provide for their students.
“Our organization’s commitment to the city and the charter school movement is really generational,” Lane said. “So we’re not going to let one year reduce that commitment in any respect.”
The grants will go to 74 recipients in the area, including nine charter management organizations responsible for 48 schools, 22 charter schools, nine schools, 25 organizations that provide student and school support, five policy and advocacy groups, and four college support groups.
The foundation so recently donated to the New Orleans Technology Access Fund to help provide laptops, tablets, and internet to students for virtual learning.
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