Like many civic-minded Americans, employees of The McGraw-Hill Companies were shocked by the devastation left in the wake of Hurricane Katrina in late August 2005. As the extent of the damage became apparent, employees wanted to do their part to help rebuild the physical and emotional fabric of New Orleans.

Focusing on education was a natural fit for the corporation. Our employees know that empty, damaged or neglected school buildings make education harder on educators, administrators, parents, and most importantly, children.

To help tackle the enormous rebuilding task in Louisiana, 350 McGraw-Hill Education (MHE) employees from around the world volunteered to refurbish the KIPP Believe Academy, a charter middle school in New Orleans. The school sustained major damage during Hurricane Katrina, but was transformed when volunteers spent the day painting classrooms and hallways, landscaping, building outdoor furniture, assembling bookshelves and painting murals. The principal, along with some of the students and parents from the school, worked along side the MHE volunteers.

McGraw-Hill Community Partners group, which manages the corporation’s community activities, and McGraw-Hill Education, worked closely with a local non-profit organization, Hands On New Orleans, to coordinate this effort. Volunteers helped bring hope back to KIPP Believe Academy and the surrounding community.

New Orleans video
McGraw-Hill Education employees work to refurbish the KIPP Believe Academy, which suffered heavy damage during Hurricane Katrina in 2005.