Disaster Relief Fund

Hurricane Katrina took a huge toll on career colleges located in the Gulf Coast region. In response to the mounting devastation and ongoing relief efforts in the region, the Board of the Career College Association (CCA) authorized a $500,000 fund, taken from CCA reserves, for relief for CCA members in the federally declared disaster areas who have been affected by the storms. CCA members were also asked to contribute to the fund.

The Imagine America Foundation created a special committee to coordinate this relief effort. This committee was charged with overseeing the disaster relief fund, which provides grants to affected CCA institutions so they can assist career college students through scholarships, direct aid or student services and reimburse faculty and staff for extraordinary losses that are not otherwise covered by insurance or other disaster relief programs. The relief fund also extends to colleges and allied members for facilities or other extraordinary losses that are not covered by insurance or other disaster relief programs. Grants of up to $30,000 per institution were awarded.

Larry Gilbert of ATI Enterprises, CCA’s primary contact and honorary chair for the relief effort, has assisted the Foundation’s Disaster Relief Committee in identifying the needs of area affected students, staff and others. After three rounds of outreach, the Committee has allocated grants to the following institutions:

• Blue Cliff College – Gulfport, MS
• Blue Cliff College – Metaire, LA
• Bryman College – New Orleans, LA
• Grantham University – Slidell, LA
• Gretna Career College – Gretna, LA
• Herzing College – Kenner, LA
• Remington College - Lafayette, LA
• Virginia College – Biloxi, MS
• Virginia College - Jackson, MS

For more information about the Disaster Relief Fund, please contact Foundation staff member Kerry Turner at 202.336.6711.