Sacramento, CA - Sacramento City Unified School District’s Homeless Education Services requests holiday season donations from the community to support unhoused students and their families. Beginning November 18, 2024, through December 21, 2024, donations can be brought to the Serna Center at 5735 47th Ave. and placed in the large blue bin in the Serna Center lobby.

The following types of items are requested to support our school community families experiencing housing insecurity:

• New blankets (not used blankets)
• Kids’ shelf-stable snack foods (fruit snacks, crackers, popcorn, etc.)
• Shelf-stable pantry staples (peanut butter, olive oil, rice, etc.)
• Hygiene items (diapers, menstrual products, shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, etc.)

Community members may also donate to the Kindness Campaign which funds Homeless Education Services programs and resources for unhoused students by visiting sackindnesscampaign.org/new-page-1.

“We’ve had an 185% increase in the number of students experiencing homelessness just since last year. The total number of students our program is serving is around 1780, and that number keeps growing,” said Ashley Powers Clark, SCUSD Homeless Education Services Coordinator. “Community donations can dramatically help our team to continue to provide the resources that students and families experiencing homelessness need to succeed in school and support their mental health.”

Interviews with Homeless Education Services staff may be facilitated for earned media opportunities that support awareness of SCUSD’s Spirit of Giving Drive. Please email nicole-kangas@scusd.edu.