Students volunteer to assemble care packages for homeless youth

When the sun was shining outside Friday, a group of seniors were indoors assembling care packages for the school district’s homeless population.

While practicing a safe 6-foot social distancing, five seniors from Del Norte High School created an assembly line to fill care packages to approximately 250 homeless students who attend the Del Norte Unified School District.

Superintendent Jeff Harris said the supplies, from socks to toothbrushes, were donated from community organizations and purchased from the school district’s youth grant money.

Simone Magarino, ASB president, said she heard from her father, DNUSD School Board President Frank Magarino, there was a need for volunteers in district projects. So, she partnered with Elizabeth Ward, School Board Student Representative, to assemble a team of volunteers, including Bailey Gonzalez, ASB Vice-President, and seniors Ariana Castro and Payton Machado.

“There isn’t really anything else we can do for our community right now,” Ward said. “So, this is a nice way we can indirectly help kids who need it the most.”

Harris said this is the second round of toiletry bag care packages the district assembled. The first round was by school counselors. He added once finished, the care packages will likely be taken to the homeless students on the school busses when homework packages and meals are distributed.

For Magarino, it was a great chance to both contribute to the community and get out of sheltering in place at home for a while.

“It feels good that we can find somewhere to help out,” she said.