By Mary O’KEEFE

Going back to school, especially this year, can be stressful. A lot of attention has been paid, and rightly so, to the threat of the new COVID-19 Delta variant fueling rising numbers of COVID patients, including children. Returning to in-person learning after nearly two years of virtual learning is also an adjustment. In addition to COVID there are challenges that many families still face that have been eclipsed by the pandemic. These include homelessness and struggling with low incomes as kids return to the classroom.

To help students get ready to return to in-person learning the Kiwanis Club of Glendale and Family Promise of the Verdugos sponsored a back-to-school shopping day at Target just prior to classes starting.

Sixteen children enrolled at Family Promise of the Verdugos were matched with a Kiwanis Club of Glendale member and given gift cards to purchase much-needed items for school.

“Family Promise, a local homeless service provider, offers an array of services for families with children experiencing homelessness. These are households that are in the extremely low to low-income bracket. Many of these children have been living in cars, couch surfing and are now living in either the Family Promise shelter or in low-income apartment units in our community,” according to Albert Hernandez, chief executive officer, Family Promise.

Family Promise works to get families into permanent housing and along the way helps support them with specified assistance, like returning to school.

Some of those who have reached out to Family Promise have needed to escape domestic violence or  have lost a job and saw bills snowball.

“They are homeless because of [events] that were out of their control,” Hernandez said.

One of the families Hernandez spoke of were victims of a hurricane on the east coast. They moved back to the area with their grandmother who was living in an assisted living facility. Due to the rules at that facility the family, along with their grandma, was facing eviction.

Hernandez said their mission is to reach these families before they become homeless. He praised the City of Glendale for its resources and the way the City works with local shelters and homeless organizations, like Family Promise of the Verdugos and Ascencia.

“We are blessed here in Glendale,” he said.

One of the families that Family Promise has helped was at Target to shop for back-to-school items has been homeless twice. They finally found Family Promise and, although they are still in the extremely low-income bracket, they at least have been out of homelessness for a few years.

Mom Ruth (last names are not being used to protect privacy) has three young girls. Her husband does have a job working in a medical facility but does not get paid enough to raise them out of extreme financial hardship.

“But we have been able to save enough money for rent,” Ruth said.

Being homeless was a scary time; the family lived in a shelter for a while and has also lived in their car.

“But I never stood on the street asking for money,” she said.

Ruth and her husband continually reached out to organizations for help but did not find a lot of support.

“One organization wanted to separate us,” Ruth said. That would have added even more stress to their situation.

“Life has a rocky course,” Ruth said.

She added that it’s like finding yourself too close to the breakers.

“Sometimes those waves take us under. People think you don’t want to swim to save yourself but you can’t swim and find yourself drowning,” she said. “That’s how [homelessness] felt.”

“I called at least 40 shelters,” she said of her efforts to find help.

And the last one she called was Family Promise, which was able to help.

Hernandez said they were able to help in part due to organizations like Kiwanis Club of Glendale.

“To [Kiwanis], it’s more than just writing a check,” he said.

Kiwanis members walked with the students at Target, talking to them about what they needed and what they were interested in. Kiwanis member TJ Denton shopped with sixth grader Aden. He found that Aden was interested in art and design; Denton had gone to college for graphic design. The conversation between the two was more than just about what Aden could buy and the value of the gift cards; it was about connecting.

“A lot of our members own their business,” said Hernandez, who is also a Kiwanis member.

He added that members could share their experiences and mentor students while they shopped.

Family Promise of the Verdugos has a sterling record. Since 2010 it has served 1,152 children and helped 1,934 individuals off the street and into housing.

As everyone prepared to shop, Kiwanis Club of Glendale President Monica Sierra spoke of the club’s support of Family Promise adding that the Kiwanis Club of Glendale is celebrating 100 years of service next year and is proud of the Club’s philanthropic efforts.