HOUSTON -- Exxon Mobil Corp. has pledged $250,000 to the Houston Katrina/Rita Fund Educational Initiative to provide educational and social support for the 8,000 additional students now enrolled in the Houston and Alief school districts as a result of last year's hurricanes. The initiative is seeking to raise $5 million dollars to fund a one-year program to benefit the Houston Independent School District (HISD) and the Alief Independent School District (AISD).
"The Houston community has been greatly impacted by the hurricanes that hit the Gulf Coast [image-nocss] region last year," said Morris Foster, president, ExxonMobil Production Co. "We applaud the efforts of the area's educators in establishing this initiative, and hope that the funding will help these 8,000 students reach their full potential."
As a result of hurricanes Katrina and Rita, Houston and surrounding communities are home to 21,000 children, including more than 8,000 new students enrolled in HISD and AISD. Children affected by these disasters need strong educational support and effective social programs. The programs designed by HISD and AISD will help ensure that the students acquire these necessary skills. The academic component focuses on comprehensive reading and math programs, while the social component is aimed at behavioral training and conflict resolution.
ExxonMobil has contributed more than $13 million to Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. Additionally, many of the more than 16,000 ExxonMobil employees and retirees in the Houston area volunteered their time at area shelters, as well as collected supplies for local agencies serving the evacuees. Ongoing ExxonMobil employee volunteer projects continue to assist area agencies that are working to meet the needs of these new residents.
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