HEMET: HUSD holding food drive to help foster and homeless students

HEMET – Officials from the Hemet Unified School District are asking for the public’s help in creating food bags to be handed out to at-risk youth for the upcoming holiday break.

The food bags will be distributed to students within the school district who might otherwise go without the daily nourishment that is so important to children. They are specifically meant for children within the school district who are in the foster care system or who are live under their parent or guardian’s care, but are known to be homeless.

“Currently, we have 329 foster and 981 homeless youth enrolled in our schools,” HUSD Public Information Officer Alexandrea Cass explained in a press release. “Long breaks are especially challenging for our foster and homeless youth. Whether they are missing their families or just missing school meals, the holiday break means something different to most of them than to us.”

“These students move from school to school, may have unstable housing, and have the lowest academic outcomes of any group in HUSD and nationwide,” Cass explained.

Many of these families have difficulties making ends meet each month and count on nutritious meals provided to them by their schools through the school district.

“Frequently, you will see districts in the news that serve a holiday meal for their Foster and Homeless families,” Cass wrote.

This year, HUSD’s Student Support Services Team put a new spin on this idea.

“With the support of local businesses, Marshall’s and Stater Brothers, we designed a two week meal bag to be delivered to Foster and Homeless youth the day before break,” Cass explained. “We will be conducting special ‘drawings’ to distribute the bags. Our goal is to provide one two week food bag to every Foster and Homeless youth in the District.”

According to Cass, bags for elementary students will include a wrapped gift donated by the Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians or the United Way of Hemet. Middle School age will include a clothing voucher from local businesses – Ross, Famous Footwear, or Marshall’s.

In order to help those willing to donate food, the school district has created a list of the items they are seeking.

One two week food bag contains specific, nutritious meals, snacks and other necessities that will cover each child’s food needs for the upcoming two week Christmas break.

“The items do not require can openers, pots, or mixing bowls. We are even including napkins and plastic forks and spoons,” Cass explained.

A typical two week food bag costs about $40 to compile and the school district has even provided an exact list of the types of foods they are seeking.

Whether donors can help with a full bag or portions to go into a bag, any donated food will help meet the needs of those students and families that need help the most.

Those willing and able to help can also donate through Myschoolbucks using their own account or a guest account.

The school district is hoping to compile enough food to create 1,000 two-week food bags, so any donations would be greatly appreciated.

All food donation can be delivered at student registration at the district office at 1791 W Acacia Avenue in Hemet. Tuesday, Dec. 13 will be the last day the district is accepting donations because they will be delivering the food bags on Wednesday.

“Thank you in advance for considering supporting us. Our goal in Student Services to serve every student, every day,” Cass wrote. “Your generosity will help our most at-risk families.”

 

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Trevor Montgomery spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg in an off-duty accident.

During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations, including the Robert Presley Detention Center, the Southwest Station in Temecula, the Hemet Station, and the Lake Elsinore Station, along with many other locations.