To helpa increase awareness of the need to address issues affecting our nation’s homeless veterans, Fort Bend ISD’s Senior Leadership Cohort students conducted an outreach project that involved education and community service.
“According to the DeBakey VA Medical Center, 28 percent of the adult homeless population has served our country in the Armed Forces,” said Betty Ann Williams, Senior Leadership Cohort Sponsor. “Unfortunately, this group is often overlooked, even though their needs are great. Many of these brave men and women don’t even possess the basic essentials they need to get through the day.”
For the education component of the project, the leadership cohort distributed information regarding the homeless veteran population to their schools’ student body.
For the community service project, they joined their social studies classes, Student Councils and other student groups in conducting clothing and toiletry drives to support area veterans.
Based on the recommendations of the volunteer coordinator at the local VA hospital, students donated undershirts, socks, combs, toothpaste, toothbrushes, deodorant, disposable razors, and other personal items for veterans.
The Senior Leadership Cohort group also helped sort and bag the items before joining their campus sponsors in delivering the donated items to the Michael DeBakey Veteran’s Hospital for distribution to veterans prior to the 2011 holiday season.
The Senior Leadership Cohort is comprised of students representing FBISD high schools who apply their leadership skills in support of school and community volunteerism projects and efforts.