Five Years On...Katrina Success

 

On August 29, five years ago, lives were changed forever. The name "Katrina" became part of our collective vocabulary and for us at MHOF, a journey began that continues to this day. Images of destruction and despair will forever be in our minds, but little by little, they are being replaced with smiles and tears of gratitude and joy. In September 2005 we went to work. We opened the door to schools that had been destroyed and teachers and families who had been displaced. We would help them bring music back to their children. 

"Since our school's district is on the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain, all of the homes in our district were either destroyed or severely flooded by the hurricane. Our school also received about three feet of water throughout the school. We lost many of our school supplies, and the families lost almost all of their possessions. Thank you for the generous donation of instruments to our school's music program. The kindness that has been shown to us has been a boost to the spirit of our faculty and students. Your assistance helps us return to the important task of educating our students."

Jane Freeman, Principal, W.L. Abney Elementary, Slidell, LA, October 25, 2005

 
With your help, and the generosity of many, many more, The Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation has put 3,037 instruments into the hands of more than 43,000 students in the Gulf Coast states. Over the life of the instruments, generations of kids will be able to use them, insuring a place for music in their lives.

 

"To us, there is no joy without music and after Hurricane Katrina destroyed our band hall we were in jeopardy. Your donation was not just financial. It was a gift of generosity, care and concern. Knowing that there are people like you doing what you can to help in times like these is what keeps our spirits high. Life is far from normal here but each day it gets a little better." 
Marsha Lyons, Mercy Cross High School, Biloxi, MS, March 31, 2006

It has been an honor and a great joy to have helped so many who had nowhere to turn, and we will continue to help schools in New Orleans as long as they need us. We thank those of you who helped us on this journey - your support will never be forgotten.

The MHOF Team

 

Gulf Coast Schools served in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina

Oak Mountain Middle School, Birmingham  AL
Mattie T. Blount High School, Eightmile  AL
B.C. Rain School, Mobile  AL
Bragg Elementary, West Memphis  AR
East Cobb Middle School, Marietta  GA
Henry Ford Middle School, Avondale  LA
Capitol High School, Baton Rouge  LA
Desire Street Academy, Baton Rouge  LA
East Baton Rouge Arts and Technology School, Baton Rouge  LA
Glen Oaks Middle School, Baton Rouge  LA
Kenilworth Middle School, Baton Rouge  LA
St. Michael the Archangel Diocesan Regional, Baton Rouge  LA
Belle Chasse Middle School, Belle Chasse  LA
Hahnville High School, Boutte  LA
Lynn Oaks School, Braithwaite  LA
Phoenix High School, Braithwaite  LA
Broussard Middle School, Broussard  LA
Carencro Heights Elementary, Carencro  LA
Andrew Jackson Elementary, Chalmette  LA
Nicholas P. Trist Middle School, Chalmette  LA
St. Bernard Unified School, Chalmette  LA
William Pitcher Jr. High School, Covington  LA
Covington High School, Covington  LA
Pine View Middle School, Covington  LA
Larose Upper Elementary, Cut Off  LA
Central Middle School, Eunice  LA
Grand Isle School, Grand Isle  LA
St. Helena Central High School, Greensburg  LA
Grand Caillou Middle School, Houma  LA
Riverdale High School, Jefferson  LA
Alfred Bonnabel High School, Kenner  LA
Theodore Roosevelt Middle School, Kenner  LA
Live Oak Elementary, Lafayete  LA
Acadian Middle School, Lafayette  LA
L.J. Alleman Middle School, Lafayette  LA
Fontainebleau High School, Mandeville  LA
Archbishop Shaw High School, Marrero  LA
John Ehret High School, Marrero  LA
Haynes Middle School for Advanced Studies, Metairie  LA
J.D. Meisler Middle School, Metairie  LA
J.Q. Adams Middle School, Metairie  LA
Metairie Park Country Day School, Metairie  LA
St. Clement of Rome, Metairie  LA
Milton Elem/Middle School, Milton  LA
Natchitoches Jr. High School, Natchitoches  LA
Andrew H Wilson Charter School, New Orleans  LA
Audubon Charter School, New Orleans  LA
Benjamin Franklin Elementary, New Orleans  LA
Benjamin Franklin High School, New Orleans  LA
Brother Martin High School, New Orleans  LA
Carver High School, New Orleans  LA
Cohen High School, New Orleans  LA
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Charter School, New Orleans  LA
Edward Hynes Charter School, New Orleans  LA
Einstein Charter, New Orleans  LA
Eleanor McMain Secondary School, New Orleans  LA
Esperanza Charter School, New Orleans  LA
F.C. Williams Elementary, New Orleans  LA
Frederick A. Douglass Sr. High School, New Orleans  LA
Gentilly Terrace, New Orleans  LA
Harriet Ross Tubman Charter School, New Orleans  LA
Holy Cross High School, New Orleans  LA
Holy Cross Middle School, New Orleans  LA
J.S. Clark High School, New Orleans  LA
Jesuit High School, New Orleans  LA
KIPP Believe Charter School, New Orleans  LA
KIPP Central City Academy, New Orleans  LA
KIPP Rennaissance High School, New Orleans  LA
Lafayette Academy Charter School (Lower), New Orleans  LA
Lafayette Academy Charter School (Upper), New Orleans  LA
Lake Forest Elementary Charter School, New Orleans  LA
Lusher Charter School, New Orleans  LA
Mary McLeod Bethune, New Orleans  LA
McDonogh 15 School for the Creative Arts, New Orleans  LA
McDonogh 35 High School, New Orleans  LA
Metairie Park Country Day, New Orleans  LA
Mount Carmel Academy, New Orleans  LA
New Orleans College Prep (NOLA), New Orleans  LA
New Orleans Pathfinder Club, New Orleans  LA
New Orleans String Project, New Orleans  LA
Pierre A. Capdau Early College High School, New Orleans  LA
Pierre Capdau Charter, New Orleans  LA
Roots of Music, New Orleans  LA
S.T. Reed High School, New Orleans  LA
Schaumberg Elementary, New Orleans  LA
Sophie B. Wright Charter School, New Orleans  LA
St. Augustine High School, New Orleans  LA
St. Luke's Nursery School, New Orleans  LA
St. Mary's Academy, New Orleans  LA
St. Mary's Dominican High School, New Orleans  LA
Warren Easton Senior High School, New Orleans  LA
Xavier University Preparatory High School, New Orleans  LA
J.B. Martin Middle School, Paradis  LA
Port Barre High School, Port Barre  LA
South Plaquemines High School, Port Sulphur  LA
J. Wallace James Elementary, Scott  LA
Abney Elementary, Slidell  LA
Northshore High School, Slidell  LA
Slidell High School, Slidell  LA
St. Tammany Jr. High School, Slidell  LA
St. Charles Elementary School, Thibodaux  LA
Stella Worley Junior High School, Westwego  LA
Ernest Gallet Elementary, Youngsville  LA
Youngsville Middle School, Youngsville  LA
Bay High School, Bay St. Louis  MS
Bay-Waveland Middle School, Bay St. Louis  MS
St. Stanislaus School Bay,  St. Louis  MS
Mercy Cross High School, Biloxi  MS
West Jones Elementary, Laurel  MS
Long Beach Middle School, Long Beach  MS
Magnolia Jr. High School, Moss Point  MS
New Augusta School, New Augusta  MS
Ocean Springs High School, Ocean Springs  MS
Ocean Springs Middle School, Ocean Springs  MS
St. Martin High School, Ocean Springs  MS
St. Martin Middle School, Ocean Springs  MS
Olive Branch Middle School, Olive Branch  MS
Trent Lott Middle School, Pascagoula  MS
Pass Christian High School, Pass Christian  MS
Pass Christian Middle School Pass, Christian  MS
Southaven Middle School, Southaven  MS
Tylertown High School, Tylertown  MS
Vancleave High School, Vancleave  MS
Waveland Elementary, Waveland  MS
Lausanne Collegiate School, Memphis  TN
Millington Central High School, Millington  TN
CDF Freedom Schools (30 sites) Gulf Region

We Thank the Donors Who Helped Us in Our Efforts

Company and Foundation Donors

School Donors

Aitkin High School, Aitkin  MN
Butler University, Indianapolis  IN
Carus Elementary School, Oregon City  OR
Chariho High School, Wood River Junction  RI
Clarke High School Conestoga High School, Berwyn  PA
Covenant Christian High School, Indianapolis IN
Ecker Hill Middle School, Park City  UT
Fernley Elementary School, Fernley  NV
Fulton Junior High School, Fulton  NY
Garden City High School, Garden City  NY
Great Oak Elementary School, Danvers  MA
Highland View Elementary School, Silver Spring  MD
Lebanon Valley College of Pennsylvania, Annville  PA
New Providence High School and Middle School, New Providence  NJ
North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie, Skokie  IL
Oakland University, Rochester  MI
Peabody School, Charlottesville  VA
Poland Seminary High School, Poland  OH
Pontiac Township High School, Pontiac  IL
Reedsburg Area High School, Reedsburg  WI
Rochester Parents of Music Students/Band Boosters
Sauk Prairie Middle School, Sauk City  WI
University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Princess Anne  MD
Urbana High School, Ijamsville  MD
W.T. Clarke High School, Westbury  NY
West Greene High School, Mosheim  TN

Individual Donors