NEW ORLEANS — The Pro Bono Publico Foundation provided a $1.3 million grant for New Orleans schools and nonprofits on Saturday.
According to our partners at Nola.com, the Rex organization has awarded over $14 million to education efforts since 2006. The organization was created to help the city recover after Hurricane Katrina. This is the ninth year in a row the foundation has pledged over $1 million to improving education in the city.
Over 70 local charter schools and education nonprofits attended the announcement.
"This is truly one of our favorite days of the year," James Reiss III, a member of the Pro Bono Publico board and a former king of Carnival, told Nola.com.
The money raised by the foundation is based on operational grants to support schools. Rex charity also awarded nonprofit organizations like the Greater New Orleans Foundation and Agenda for Children.
Rex charity gave out 69 operational grants adding up to $993,000; $242,000 to the Greater New Orleans Foundation and New Schools for New Orleans, along with $54,000 for the two-day national donor event.
Our partners also spoke to Merritt Lane, a member of the board's foundation, who said they recently created a fund to secure "larger, multi-year grants to address systemic education challenges." The three-year commitments include a grant aimed to help all-charter public schools attract and retain students.
The Rex parade is set to roll on Mardi Gras, Feb. 13. The krewe's theme this year is "The Two Worlds of Lafcadio Hearn – New Orleans and Japan.”
► Get breaking news from your neighborhood delivered directly to you by downloading the new FREE WWL-TV News app now in the IOS App Store or Google Play.