North Shore Students Offer School Supplies To Homeless Kids

From SAHY: Student Alliance for Homeless Youth (SAHY) contributed backpacks filled with school supplies and hosted a Back-to-School Party to kick-off the school year for children living in homeless shelters. More than 200 children living in homeless shelters benefitted from the two programs, which were organized by high school students from New Trier, Maine South and Loyola Academy to help reduce barriers to education for homeless and impoverished youth.On Sunday, August 27, SAHY hosted a Chicago Cubs-themed Back-to-School Party at two shelters in Wrigleyville. The Chicago Cubs mascot, Clark the Cub, made a special appearance thanks to a generous donation from the Chicago Cubs. Nearly 50 children and their family members, who live in the two shelters, attended the party. Twenty SAHY members, who attend New Trier, Loyola Academy and Maine South high schools, volunteered at the party.

In addition, SAHY delivered 188 backpacks filled with school supplies for homeless and impoverished children. The backpacks were distributed through Primo Center for Women and Children in the Englewood neighborhood; Chicago Hopes for Kids, a tutoring program that serves children living in nine shelters; and Another Chance Assembly that serves underprivileged children in the Austin neighborhood. This is the sixth year that SAHY has provided school supplies for students in need. Supplies were collected from the community at Office Depot stores in Evanston and Niles during August.As part of its efforts to help homeless youth succeed in school, SAHY also raises funds each year for college scholarships provided through the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless. Chicago Public Schools served 18,831 homeless students in the 2015-2016 school year.

Images Courtesy of SAHY