Equity Statement
Arden Arcade HART is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion and strives to be a role model in the community. In our daily work as volunteers representing many faith communities and business organizations and in partnership with other non-profits and organizations, we reach out to all our unhoused sisters and brothers and our housing-challenged students in our Arden Arcade Neighborhoods.
The Story
When asked, “What would be the single most important mission in preventing homelessness?”, a Community Health worker replied, “support our children and families who are currently experiencing insecure housing”.
This last year Arden Arcade HART took on the goal of supporting McKinney -Vento services in San Juan Unified School District. MKV Program School Community Workers are advocates for students, meeting regularly to check in with them to support their educational, transportation and social needs. Eight hundred and thirty K-8 students from 19 schools in the district were identified by indicators of need. There may not be another meal that day after school. Personal supplies may not be available or they don’t have the ability to store needed items because they move around frequently.
HART volunteers gather supplies to fill 50 snack bags and 50 hygiene kits designed for elementary and high school students. Our goal is to provide these kits once a month to be distributed throughout the district by McKinney-Vento and school staff. In addition to time spent with an advisor students can anticipate receiving something that says, “I understand”, “We care.”
“Their faces light up!” said one School Community Worker. “It may just be an ice breaker, a little something special and one adult to help them feel safe.”
Arden Arcade HART relies completely on donations to support the adults unhoused in our neighborhood as well as the ability to provide food for our elementary students and appropriate personal care items for teens, such as shampoo, deodorant, or a pair of socks. The Big Day of Giving will assist Arden Arcade HART’s work in serving a greater number of our sisters and brothers in encampments and our McKinney-Vento Students. These efforts encourage and help to nourish dignity and self-esteem and prevent homelessness in the future.