Lawrence High School PTA awarded $5,000

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The National Parent-Teacher Association awarded the Lawrence High School PTA with a $5,000 grant to help meet critical needs of students, families and teachers in the school community that have been caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The money is supported by  TikTok, a short-form video app, and PTA Proud National Sponsor.

“Covid-19 has presented many challenges for families and school,” Leslie Boggs, president of National PTA stated in a news release. “Now more than ever, PTAs nationwide are working hard to ensure our students, families and educators are safe, healthy and have what they need—focusing on social and emotional wellbeing, resources for distance teaching and learning, bridging the digital divide and addressing food insecurity."

"The Lawrence High School PTA is committed to supporting and advocating for their students, families and teachers during this challenging time," she added. "With the grant, the Lawrence High School PTA will be able to make even more of a difference for their school community.”

The  Lawrence High PTA will address the growing need for food security in its school and surrounding community. A portion of the grant was given to Gammy’s Pantry at the Five Towns Community Center in Lawrence to help provide food for those in need. A second portion of the grant was paid to the Lawrence School District to settle the outstanding food debt for our high school students and a third portion will be used to conduct PTA business.

Lawrence High School PTA Vice President Pamela Makaea applied for the grant through the National PTA this summer. “The Lawrence High School PTA is so excited to be a recipient of the Phase 2 Covid Relief Funding especially since this phase was very competitive with only 14 percent of those applying (from PTAs across the country) receiving grant funding,” Makaea said in the release.

“After seeing so many people coming for food supplies at the Long Island Cares food distribution at Number Four School last spring and at Gammy’s Pantry in the Five Towns Community Center, it is really nice for our PTA to be able to help not only our high school students and families, but our entire community as well.” she added. 

The Lawrence grant is part of $1.5M that National PTA is providing to PTAs across the country for Covid-19 relief efforts. The National PTA also launched a comprehensive webpage at PTA.org/COVID-19 with resources, tools and information to support families and educators amid the pandemic.

The association has also focused several episodes of its Notes from the Backpack podcast on topics of concern for families. The association shared information and resources at PTA.org/BackToSchool and on social media to help PTA leaders, parents, students and teachers navigate the new school year. National PTA continues to advocate for access and support for families and schools for online learning, access to school meals, funding for family engagement, and fiscal and policy relief for state and local education agencies.