For Immediate Release
Contact:   Jean Hessburg, 515-471-8025
August 8, 2008

Iowa State Education Association’s Disaster Relief Effort Tops $40,000

(Des Moines)  -- In response to tornadoes and record-setting flooding across Iowa, Iowa State Education Association (ISEA) president, Chris Bern announced that educators from Iowa and across the United States have donated more than $40,000 to the ISEA’s Disaster Relief Effort. 

“The outpouring of support from education professionals, other state education associations, and local associations in Iowa and as far away as Florida and California has been tremendous,” Iowa State Education Association (ISEA) president Chris Bern said today.  

Created in response to the tornado in Parkersburg and later extended to educators in areas hit by flooding, the ISEA contributed $5,000 toward the start of an ongoing fundraising effort aimed to help educators who lost classroom supplies and materials that they paid for out of their own pockets. 

A nationwide survey conducted in 2001 found that U.S. educators spend an average of $589 of their own money annually on supplies and teaching resources for their classrooms.  

“Educators often sacrifice personal needs to pay for classroom supplies and materials and Iowa’s recent disasters have wiped out these personal investments,” Bern said.  “With no official way to reimburse for this type of out-of-pocket loss, we believe it is important to let our members know we are with them. This relief fund will help teachers offset some of their losses.” 

Delegates attending the National Education Association’s national convention in Washington, DC were asked to make contributions to colleagues in Iowa. 

“It was so moving to receive contributions from educators and affiliates around the country who are genuinely concerned for their colleagues here in Iowa.  It’s a great demonstration of everyone’s commitment to kids in the classrooms and I couldn’t be prouder of the effort,” Bern said.

Bern participated in the first task force meeting held on Tuesday, July 29th addressing school needs around the state.

The ISEA Disaster Relief Effort is continuing to accept donations and will distribute them through its local associations.  Contributions can be sent to the ISEA Disaster Relief Effort at 777 Third Street, Des Moines, IA 50309 with more information available at www.isea.org.

 --30—

The Iowa State Education Association is a professional association made up of almost 34,000 educators who are dedicated to promoting and preserving quality public education for all students.  Great Education.  It’s an Iowa Basic!