While Winter Break allows students, staff, and families to enjoy holiday festivities and winter-weather activities to recharge for the second half of the school year, we recognize that it can also be challenging for those in our community experiencing economic hardships and uncertainty.
We want to ensure our students retain the support they need so they return ready for successful learning experiences in 2026. Please reach out through Let’s Talk if you are seeking aid for a student, or review these programs to support students and families.
Community Partnerships
The Department of Family & Community Engagement works with numerous organizations to ensure our community’s collective impact meets the varied needs of our students.
Community Partners provide support for College and Career Readiness, Youth Development and Wellness, mentoring, tutoring, social support, and basic needs. If you need help connecting with a resource, please contact us.
HEART
The Homeless Education And Resource Team (HEART) is our program for implementing the federal McKinney-Vento Education Assistance Act and the state Homeless Student Stability and Opportunity Grant Act.
HEART helps children and youth who lack a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence, providing transportation and other resources to ensure these students can maintain consistency in their education with the same opportunities to meet high academic standards as their peers.
This winter, HEART staff collected more than $63,000 in gift cards and financial donations from community members to distribute to make sure HEART students know that Spokane cares.
Resources
2nd Harvest and Bite2Go
Founded in 1971, 2nd Harvest currently distributes 80,000 meals per day over 51,000 square miles in Eastern and Central Washington, and North Idaho. Their Food Finder portal shows where and when free groceries or meals are available by zip code.
Their Bite2Go program also supports our families by providing bags of food that students can take home over the weekend when they do not have access to school meals. Nearly 12,000 students participate in this program.
Bite2Go is available at all Spokane Public Schools. Food is delivered to schools on Wednesdays at elementary schools and every other Wednesday at middle and high schools (except during school breaks). Many student leadership groups help to stock their school’s Bite2Go pantry and pack bags for their peers to bring home.
Teachers and counselors identify students who would benefit from the program. Contact your school if you would like to connect a student to this resource.
More Community Resources
These organizations can help community members connect with a variety of resources for housing, youth health and development, energy assistance, and more.
Please note that external organizations are not affiliated with or endorsed by Spokane Public Schools. This list is solely intended as an optional resource for Spokane families.
Header image: Two Salk Middle School students make a heart with their hands while standing in a food pantry.