Grocery retail chain H-E-B and its owners, the Butt family, have announced they are donating $10 million to the Uvalde CISD Moving Forward Foundation, a new non-profit organization.
The nonprofit was recently established to help Uvalde recover from the mass shooting at Robb Elementary in May.
Moving Forward’s primary objective is to gather donations to build a new school, construct a memorial park where the school now stands, and ensure the security of other schools throughout the district.
The H-E-B and Butt family’s donation will go toward materials needed for the construction of the new school.
As the largest privately-held employer in Texas, H-E-B has been a Texas staple since the 1900s. The company was founded by the family of Charles Butt, the retailer’s current chairman.
Butt stated that his family and H-E-B strive to “ensure the Uvalde community can move forward from this tragic event.”
“Our children are this country’s future, and our schools should be a safe place where children can thrive and envision new possibilities,” he said.
Hal Harrell, Uvalde CISD superintendent, stated that the district is planning to hold meetings to allow the community an opportunity to give their input on the new school plans.
The new school is expected to take about two years to complete. Though there is no concrete timeline, Harrell hopes it will open in the summer of 2024.
The Fort Worth-based architect firm Huckabee will partner with San Antonio construction company Joeris to design and build the new school. Both companies said they would donate their services to the cause.
Approximately 550 students currently attend Robb Elementary; the district will relocate these students to attend two other area schools until the new school is completed.
According to Harrell, the majority of current Robb students will attend Flores Elementary, where most of Uvalde’s fifth and sixth graders attend school. Those students entering second grade in the fall will remain at Dalton Elementary, a school typically teaching kids in pre-K through first grade.
After the tragedy Uvalde has endured, Harrell believes investing in an excellent education for Uvalde’s youth is “the best foot forward.”
