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GRAMERCY — School teachers and staff in District 58 and St. John the Baptist Parish recently received specialty mask donations from the We Can Together “Mask Up” campaign.

State Representative Ken Brass started the initiative to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in local schools while showing educators the community stands with them.

“It’s an initiative that I wanted to do throughout District 58 and throughout the River Parishes to ensure that our teachers had adequate PPE to go back to school,” Brass said. “ We were able to receive some donations from some small businesses and industry to help support the effort.”

More than 1,300 specialty masks with school colors and logos were designed and distributed to area schools in support of the teachers, principals, administrators, cafeteria workers and other staff members who work hard daily to help children thrive.

West St. John High School, West St. John Elementary and East St. John High School received a combined 200 masks through the We Can Together “Mask Up” Campaign.

The rest of the specialty mask donations represented schools in St. James, Iberville and Ascension parishes.

Masks were distributed to Donaldsonville High, East Ascension High, East Iberville High, White Castle, St. James High, Lutcher High, Sixth Ward Elementary, Vacherie Elementary, St. Louis Academy, Gramercy Elementary, Paulina Elementary, Cypress Montessori School in Lutcher and St. Peter Chanel Interparochial School in Lutcher.

As a result of another generous contribution, the We Can Together “Mask Up” campaign has funded an additional 100 masks for the St. James Parish School District/First Student Transportation Company. This will allow every bus driver in St. James Parish to receive personal protective equipment.

These specialty masks are light gray and include a yellow school bus emblem above the phrase, “This is how we roll.”

Brass said the specialty mask donations do not encompass the additional 10,000 white cloth masks that were supplied to District 58 through the Louisiana Governor’s Office. Brass assisted in distributing 4,500 to St. James Parish, 2,500 to Ascension Parish and 2,000 to Iberville Parish schools.

To continue providing financial relief to families, the District 58 Office donated approximately 300 backpacks filled with school supplies to the St. James Parish Housing Authority. Backpack giveaways were recently held for the families of the Baytree Complex and the Welcome-Hymel Complex to benefit students ages 4 to 11. The St. James Parish Housing Authority has also supplied reusable masks and hurricane supplies for all family members ages 3 and up residing in the complexes.

An additional 300 backpacks filled with school supplies were provided to Donaldsonville area students, according to Brass.

“This is going to encourage kids to do their best, as usual, in these circumstances that we are in. It can also help parents by getting the kids their school supplies whether they are going to school in person or virtually,” Brass said.

For more information, please call Brass at 225-229-2492.