SAN BERNARDINO - With homelessness on the rise in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic impact, the San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools’ Student Success Partnership gave 141 lunch bags to the homeless within San Bernardino County for the holidays.
The lunch bags were prepared by foster youth students during the Student Success Partnership’s virtual Give Back Academy. The purpose of the academy is to show empathy to others who are less fortunate and brainstorm ways to help those in need. The students were given food items and art supplies to fill the packages and decorate them with their own words of encouragement: “You matter; The world is yours; You are loved.”
The Student Success Partnership is a collaboration between the University of Redlands School of Education, San Bernardino City Unified and SBCSS Foster Youth Services coordinating program. The partnership provides leadership and development opportunities to help improve educational outcomes for youth in foster care and group homes within the Inland Empire.
Funding for the program is provided by SBCSS Foster Youth Services coordinating program and San Bernardino City Unified. The Give Back Academy is one of three academies provided by the Student Success Partnership. It offers a variety of educational enrichment activities, field trips, community service opportunities and training programs to inspire foster youth in exploring their futures.
“The Give Back Academy connects and engages students through compassion and empathy for others. This important partnership plants a ‘seed of hope’ for a better future for our foster youth students,” said County Superintendent Ted Alejandre.