Bulletin Board Events
Help Some of District’s Neediest Students August 14–20
Approximately 80 percent of HISD students are economically disadvantaged, but some have an even harder time than others in obtaining regular meals and purchasing school uniforms.
About 750 district students (or less than one percent of the total served) are the children of migrant farm workers—and because they move so frequently, their families must keep reapplying for food stamps. In Texas, that approval process can take up to three months, which can be a real hardship when the average annual income of a migrant farm worker is $8,500. (See this related broadcast on migrant life from the NBC news program, Dateline.)
“We have tried to help our families in need through churches,” said Migrant Program Manager Scott Bounds. “We even established a small food pantry at our previous location, but that was not sufficient. One family was forced to return to Michigan because they were literally starving. They were able to obtain food stamps there.”
To help these students, HISD is launching the inaugural Harvest of Hope campaign on Saturday, August 14.
Donors are asked to drop off new or gently used school uniforms and/or non perishable food items (particularly canned proteins, such as tuna fish or chicken) in the Houston Food Bank boxes located at the Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center (4400 W. 18th Street).
Donated uniforms will be distributed directly to HISD’s migrant students, while the non-perishable food items will be donated to the Houston Food Bank in the name of HISD’s migrant students.
Harvest of Hope will conclude on Friday, August 20, 2010. Questions may be directed to Scott Bounds at 713-778-8464.
