June 9, 2025
Two schools damaged by Hurricane Helene were awarded grant funds from Dollar General’s Literacy Foundation. Gulf Beaches Elementary School and Madeira Beach Fundamental K-8 School each received a $25,000 grant to replenish and replace library books lost during Hurricane Helene. The presentation took place on June 3.
The funds came from the foundation's Beyond Words grant, which supports K-12 public school libraries that have been severely damaged due to natural disasters, fires, or acts of terrorism.
During Hurricane Helene, water rose 3 to 4 feet inside classrooms, and both schools sustained significant damage to their libraries.
The Gulf Beaches Elementary library, which was renovated before the storm, was completely destroyed. New furniture, flooring, tables, shelves, and a state-of-the-art news studio were all lost. Thousands of books, digital resources, and learning materials were rendered unusable.
The schools will use the funds to buy new books to support student reading interests, project-based learning, and academic achievement. They will also monitor how the materials impact student achievement as part of the grant award.
