In 8th grade, Sam* was living with their mom and stepdad.
“Things were bad, so I went to stay with my grandfather,” they said. “I didn’t have way to school. Grandpa didn’t have a car, and I wasn’t comfortable riding the city bus back then.”
To help, a Communities in Schools site coordinator connected Sam with Spokane Public Schools’ Homeless Education And Resource Team, or HEART, which helps children and youth who lack a fixed nighttime residence.
The HEART team not only connected Sam with transportation, they became allies along the road to adulthood.
“A lot of it was just having someone to confide in, but they also helped me get a social security card and ID, and helped me get insurance,” Sam said.
When Sam needed help navigating a major dental procedure without a legal guardian, HEART was there.
And while their basic needs were always met, the gift cards Sam received from HEART before Winter Break and at other times of the year throughout high school provided something extra, something special.
“A lot of times when comes to donating, older kids and teens get forgotten,” Sam said. “The gift cards were nice, because I didn’t usually get the opportunity to buy new clothes or snacks. Sometimes, that would be one of the only things I ever got.”
Sam is now enrolled at a state university, studying to be a high school English teacher. It’s a career inspired by those who helped during their teen years.
“My first few years of high school, I was confused and didn’t have a concrete person to lean on,” Sam said. “But I found that with my teachers and through the HEART program. That made me want to become the teacher I needed while in high school.”
Learn more about HEART and consider donating to the HEART Gift Card Drive now through Dec. 8.
Hear from other HEART graduates and students about the impact of the program:
*We’re using a pseudonym at the request of this former student.