Every year as we approach the winter holidays, students and staff across our district engage in charitiable efforts to help people in our community and beyond. These projects directly benefit those who are in need, but they also teach children to be more aware of the circumstances of others and empower children to do something to help.

A number of sites, including Bay Farm School, Love Elementary School, and Alameda High School collected food, diapers, and/or money for the Alameda Food Bank. Camp Edmo, an afterschool care program at Ruby Bridges Elementary School, held a Thanksgiving Food Drive for families needing support at that school site. 

Island High School partnered with the Food Bank in a different way:  by providing a “mini pantry” to students needing food support at Thanksgiving and the Winter Break. Lincoln Middle School held a canned food drive for Meals on Wheels and asked students to write short letters to be delivered to families in need around the island.

Bay Farm School and Encinal Jr. & Sr. High School also held a a coat drive for the non-profit One Warm Coat. EJSHS also collected 345 toys for Toys for Tots, while the Franklin Falcons collected three large bins of toys for All Good Living.

Paden and Edison Elementary Schools offered confidential aid for families in financial distress and asked other families to donate toys, diapers, and gift cards for grocery stores and local businesses to be distributed to those families.  Earlier this fall, Otis Elementary collected 500 pairs of old, unwearable shoes to be recycled by Project Sole. Proceeds will go to imipoverished communities to help kids with permanent physical disabilities receive adaptive bikes.

Finally, the Business Services Department at Alameda Unified School District donated 1000 COVID-19 rapid tests to the Alameda Food Bank and 200 rapid tests to the Alameda Point Collaborative so that they can offer them to their clients.  

We're impressed and grateful for the compassion and generosity shown in these efforts.