Subject: We Love Mercy Corps!

"On behalf of everyone involved in the Pre-K Program for St. Tammany Parish Public Schools, I thank you, and the wonderful staff of Mercy Corps, for being there for us in our time of greatest need." Photo: Dan Sadowski/Mercy Corps

From: Diane Carr, St. Tammany Parish School Board
Sent: Fri 10/07/05 3:04 PM

To: Laura Guimond, Mercy Corps

Subject: We love Mercy Corps!

Dear Laura,

First, I want to express our deepest thanks for your care and support to us as we strive to recover from Hurricane Katrina. On behalf of everyone involved in the Pre-K Program for St. Tammany Parish Public Schools, I thank you, and the wonderful staff of Mercy Corps, for being there for us in our time of greatest need.

As you know, our school system reopened on October 3rd, after being closed since August 26th. Many of the Slidell schools were damaged by the storm, including Brock Elementary, which will most likely remain closed due to the extent of damage. The Brock students are now attending Florida Avenue Elementary.

Our two Pre-K classrooms at Brock were completely destroyed. Needless to say, the teachers lost supplies and materials that they had used for years. At other elementary schools in Slidell, classrooms and libraries were flooded. All of our fifty-two schools, parishwide, have been impacted by Hurricane Katrina in one way or another.

The delivery of 900 pre-school student comfort kits and 40 teacher kits by Mercy Corps this week was an incredible event. The trucks arrived, the materials were stacked in the hallway of our Instructional
Technology Center, and all present were in awe and very excited about the quality and availability of these much needed materials. The next morning, a crew of volunteer parents arrived at 9:00 a.m and delivered the kits to the 38 Pre-K classes throughout the parish.

Teachers cried. Those who had lost everything were thrilled to see their special deliveries coming in the door. The students loved receiving a special bag of their very own. For the four-year-olds, Pre-K is a fun place where gifts are given and happy times can happen, even when homes, possessions and family stability are lost.

We cannot thank the wonderful staff of Mercy Corps enough. Laura, you met with Beth and Debbie at our Pre-K teachers meeting, and then met me at the St. Tammany Social Services meeting on September 27th. It is amazing that the truck arrived to us on October 3rd, and kits were in the hands of teachers and students by noon on October 4th. We all agree, without question, that the Mercy Corps organization is the most efficient and well operated group we have seen in this entire relief effort.

I know that the teachers and students are writing their own expressions of thanks for the wonderful donations that they have received from their new friends at Mercy Corps. We are all deeply touched and grateful for your presence and absolute dedication to helping our Pre-K children and teachers.

We look forward to staying in touch. Again, thank you, thank you, thank you.

Sincerely,

Diane Carr
Pre-K Resource Liaison

St. Tammany Parish School Board