John,

On Aug. 23, 2005, Hurricane Katrina made landfall in Louisiana, destroying homes, hospitals and schools, and devastating thousands of working families in the region. Now, 16 years later, state residents are once again picking up the pieces, this time in the wake of Hurricane Ida.

That’s why we’re opening up our Disaster Relief Fund to help the school bus drivers, teachers, school cafeteria workers, college faculty, graduate workers, other school staff and nurses who have been affected by the hurricane.

As a union family, it’s up to us to step up and help. If you’re able, please click here and donate to the AFT Disaster Relief Fund so we can directly help families recover from Hurricane Ida.

Even as the storm rolled through Louisiana, hospitals stayed open, with nurses putting their own safety on the line to care for their patients as COVID-19 continued to ravage the area.

Our members have sacrificed so much to care for and educate their communities. It’s time that we care for them. Please donate if you are able.

Hurricane Ida is the most recent and upsetting reminder of how climate change is affecting our communities and causing more extreme weather. Fighting for solutions to the climate crisis is something we’re committed to, both in and out of the classroom. Our educators teach their students about climate science and sustainability, and as a union we fight for investment in greener infrastructure for a safer, healthier future.

Unions are a way of showing that we have each other’s backs. If you’re financially able, please click here and donate to our AFT Disaster Relief Fund, so we can get aid directly to the families who need it most.

In unity,
Randi Weingarten
AFT president