It is that time of the year again where school buses are making their rounds and all the kids have retreated back to the classrooms of our local school districts.
Where parents might be breathing a sigh of relief, there are some kids that are holding their breath for another potential year of struggling through school. Homelessness, which can look like couch surfing, living out of cars, motel hopping and living on the streets, affects 30,542 children in Orange County (ocgov.com). These living conditions take a drastic toll on the education performance of a child.
Most of the children that come to the Rescue Mission are far behind their peers in reading levels. Inconsistent family and living environments set these kids far behind in their development. What’s worse, with a lack of a healthy diet and sufficient clothing, the competitive education environment is hardly a place where disenfranchised children are likely to thrive. This is why we are grateful for partners, like this group from Saddleback Church, that look after the needs of our children at the Rescue Mission. The end of summer and the turn of the school year welcomes a critical need for these kids. Back to school clothing, back packs and school supplies are essentials for these kids to enter school with the self-esteem and motivation to tackle their education performance.
 
If you would like to play a part in the education of a child at the Rescue Mission, we are accepting school supply donations at our warehouse located at 1 Hope Drive, Tustin, CA 92782 between 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday. There is warehouse staff present to help you unload and handle items from your vehicle. If you have any other questions regarding drop off, please contact Mike Martinez at mike.martinez@rescuemission.org
If you would prefer to give a dollar amount, your donation will be matched dollar for dollar under our match grant that runs from now until the end of September. You can donate through our website here.