Tuesday is “Giving Tuesday” and one way for people to donate items to an ever-present need in the community is to donate items to help homeless kids in Vermilion County.
Tricia Keith of the Regional Office of Education told WDAN’s Linda Bolton Monday morning that there are currently 228 kids who have been identified as homeless, though she says there are likely more than that. Keith says each school district in the area has a homeless liaison, but remote learning has made it hard to identify more students.
“If the kiddos aren’t having their cameras on on a regular basis so we their (faces) and what their backgrounds (are), it’s making it a real struggle to identify those kids and offer that support,” she says.
Keith says that the ROE’s shoe drive is still ongoing, and she is collecting money, clothing items such as hats and gloves and gift cards to local restaurants. She also suggests that donations be made to local food pantries and homeless shelters.
Some of the things the ROE can provide are toiletries, school supplies, Chromebooks and internet hotspots to homeless school students. The COVID-19 Relief Fund from the Danville Area United Way also helps.
More information can be found by visiting the ROE’s page on Facebook or by calling 431-2668.
(The photo of Tricia was taken by Linda during an earlier appearance on Newsmakers.)
