Posted on January 23, 2007

Chevron Commits $18 Million to Gulf Coast School Districts

The Chevron Corporation has pledged $18 million in grants through its Energy for Learning program to twenty-three school districts in Louisiana and Mississippi to aid in their recovery from hurricanes Katrina and Rita, New Orleans CityBusiness reports.

To be administered by the Greater New Orleans Foundation, the first round of grants includes awards ranging from $500,000 to $2 million to school districts in Cameron, Jefferson, Lafayette, Plaquemines, St. Tammany, and Vermillion parishes, and brings the total donated by the energy giant through the program to $5.2 million. The second round of grants will be disbursed next January.

"We're making an $18 million investment," said Energy for Learning program director Chanel Jolly. "We didn't just want to write a check and walk away. We want to make sure our donations are making a difference."

To that end, each school district was required to submit a detailed plan outlining their for goals for the grant money. "[We] will be dedicated to this program for two to three years, which is unusual," said Carol McCauley, Chevron community engagement specialist. "We wanted to make a significant investment, one that would give [the districts] a strong start. We didn't want to make a short-term contribution. We wanted to help build capacity."