How to Help

It could be months before buildings are habitable, utilities are restored, and life returns to normal in New Orleans. For school-aged children, losing the routine of school — not to mention the valuable learning time — can add to the trauma. Here are several ways you can help.

Open your doors 
Many of the students and their families were evacuated and are now staying with friends or relatives in other parts of the country. We've heard from several of these families, and they are looking for independent schools willing to educate their children until New Orleans recovers.

To post openings at your school, please complete our Emergency Response form. We have already received hundreds of offers -- their school openings are posted at the Search for School Openings page.

• If your school is not yet listed on the School Openings page, and you wish to post openings for students displaced from independent schools in New Orleans, please fill out the Emergency Response form.
• If your school is already listed on the School Openings page and you wish to update your posting about openings at your school, please send an e-mail with updated information to hurricaneupdate@nais.org.

Open your wallet
Many people along the Gulf Coast are in dire need of basic necessities, including food, water, and shelter. If you would like to raise funds to help disaster victims, you can locate information about appropriate charities at The Network for Good or Charity Navigator.

Open your closets
In time, we will learn which schools have the greatest need and what those needs are. Once we know, we will post information on our website to let you know how you might be able to help other schools by coordinating a drive for books, clothes, or other supplies.

Visit the Department of Education's Hurricane Help For Schools, which matches schools wishing to help with schools needing help and supplies.

Teaching your students about Katrina
The Alliance for a Media Literate America has created a webpage entitled Bringing Hurricane Katrina Into the Classroom: Media Literacy Lessons.

Other resources
We encourage you to visit the websites of your state/regional association for more information.

·        Association of Colorado Independent Schools -  www.acischools.com

·        Association of Delaware Valley Independent Schools -  www.advis.org (Includes a listing of school openings)

·        Association of Independent Maryland Schools -  www.aimsmd.org

·        Association of Independent Michigan Schools -  www.aims-mi.org

·        Association of Independent Schools in New England -  www.aisne.org

·        Association of Independent Schools of Greater Washington -  www.aisgw.org (Includes a listing of school openings)

·        California Association of Independent Schools -  www.caisca.org

·        Church Schools in the Diocese of Virginia -  www.thediocese.net

·        Cleveland Council of Independent School -  www.ccis-ohio.org

·        Connecticut Association of Independent Schools -  www.caisct.org

·        Florida Council of Independent Schools -  www.fcis.org (Includes a listing of school openings)

·        Georgia Independent School Association -  www.gisa-schools.org

·        Hawaii Association of Independent Schools -  www.hais.org

·        Independent Schools Association of Northern New England -  www.isanne.org

·        Independent Schools Association of the Central States -  www.isacs.org

·        Independent Schools Association of the Southwest -  www.isasw.org

·        Independent Schools of St. Louis -   www.independentschools.org

·        Missouri Independent School Association -  www.mocape.org/misa_west.asp 

·        National Association of Episcopal Schools -  www.episcopalschools.org

·        New Jersey Association of Independent Schools -  www.njais.org

·        New York State Association of Independent Schools -  www.nysais.org (Includes a listing of school openings)

·        North Carolina Association of Independent Schools -  www.ncais.org

·        Ohio Association of Independent Schools -  www.oais.org

·        Pacific Northwest Association of Independent Schools -  www.pnais.org 

·        Palmetto Association of Independent Schools -  Inc. -  www.scpais.org

·        Pennsylvania Association of Independent Schools -  www.pais-papas.org

·        Southern Association of Independent Schools -  www.sais.org (Includes a listing of school openings)

·        Southwestern Association of Episcopal Schools -  www.swaes.org

·        Tennessee Association of Independent Schools -  www.taistn.org

·        Virginia Association of Independent Schools -  www.vais.org