On Tuesday evening, 11/14, the 5th grade boys of Rancho Empower came together for an evening of giving at Rancho Romero Elementary. For more than a week, families were asked to donate non-perishable food items and Safeway gift cards to help complete a holiday meal bag for families in need at our sister school, Coronado Elementary, located in Richmond. Families also brought in used coats, new underwear, new socks and new t-shirts to be donated to North Bay fire victims. The Rancho community came out strong, yet again.
Wendy Higgins met with the boys before the event began to sort out all of the donations that we had already received and to stage our multi-purpose room for the event. The boys helped fill bags, write cheerful holiday notes to families as well as help Wendy to fill up her car with the meal bags. The boys also helped fill bags with the clothing we received. The goal was to fill 35 meal bags and we filled over 45 bags, not to mention $800 in Safeway gift cards. The bags consisted of everything to make a Thanksgiving meal – gift card for the turkey, canned vegetables, macaroni, potatoes, stuffing, gravy and more. We even had extra food that was delivered to a local food bank by a parent who is a fireman. Empower learned from this event that there are children who don’t always have access to a warm meal, even during the holidays, and it is always important to help however we can.
