El Paso Animal Services, Children’s Grief Center and Reynold’s home asked for donations to help those in need. Although due dates were expected March 21. It’s still not too late to donate. The Family and Community Services classes organize and participate in donation runs to give back to the community and also get certified as a Community Health Worker.

There are many organizations to donate to and get involved in. 

“We are collecting for the Child Crisis Center of El Paso, El Pasoans Fighting Hunger Food Bank, El Paso Animal Services Center, El Paso HOPES, the Children’s Grief Center of El Paso, Reynold’s home. I have two classes, Family and Community services and the students are getting certified in Community Health Worker (CHW),” Family and Community Services teacher Yvonne Salcido said.

With the way things have been, organizing and volunteering with the drives, both classes are closer to being certified. 

“Everyone in the class will be certified (as a Community Health Worker),” senior Raquel Salas said.

Items being collected for the organizations range from small to big.

“We’re collecting for the Child’s Crisis Center, juices, soups, sugars, clothing education and art supplies. (For) El Pasoans Fighting Hunger, canned goods. Animal Services, we collected blankets, dog bowls, (dog) toys. El Paso HOPES (needs) books, food, toys and blankets. The Children’s Grief Center is the only one we haven’t received any donations (for),” Salcido said. 

Since COVID these organizations have been impacted on multiple levels.

“They have been getting fewer volunteers and (suffering) shortage in supplies,” Salas said.

Deadlines were set with more than enough time to get a collection of supplies and volunteers. 

“All through January (we were collecting and) the deadline was when we came back from spring break,” senior Raquel Salas said.

Becoming more involved in the community can take different forms.

“Volunteering and actually helping out physically (can help),” Salas said.