University Partners with Bonita Unified to Help Homeless and Foster Youth

It was a delivery that would make Santa proud.

University of La Verne faculty and staff came to Bonita High School with boxes of school supplies, toiletries, gift cards and cash just days before Christmas.

They hope the gifts help people well beyond the holiday season, and that the effort continues.

“I would like to see this continue on an annual basis,” said Donna Redman, Assistant Professor of Education and La Verne City Councilwoman. “It’s always nice to be able to partner the University with other large entities within the city.”

That partnership between Bonita Unified School District and the University began when Redman, chair of the city’s Youth and Family Action Committee, heard about the school district’s need for assistance among its students who are either homeless or foster children.

Mark Rodgers, Bonita Unified’s Senior Director of Student Services, said the district serves between 400 to 500 foster children annually and currently has 51 homeless children. The district has more than 10,000 students.

La Verne’s College of Education and Organizational Leadership, which chooses a charitable organization to support during the holidays every year, decided to help Bonita’s Foster and Homeless Student Support Program. They have previously supported David & Margaret Youth and Family Services and the Le Roy Haynes Center, among other organizations, for the holiday charity campaign.

Faculty and staff donated school and personal supplies, as well as $630 in cash and gift cards. Redman said she hopes to build on the cash fund to cover various needs, such as helping a child with no job or parents go to a homecoming event. Bonita officials used part of the funds the day after the delivery to help a student pay for materials for a school project.

“It may buy clothes for homeless students, help a student who makes an athletic team purchase the proper equipment, fund a pizza party for students with perfect attendance, provide school supplies as needed, buy gifts for birthdays and other special occasions, or any number of other needs that are always present,” Rodgers said.