February Blog: Planning Creative Projects

Happy March! With March Madness events approaching at schools this month, PILT has the opportunity to begin fundraisers to support the projects PILT planned this month. At PILT, the members have been busy brainstorming creative semester project ideas that target a variety of people experiencing homelessness, whether they may be youth transitioning out of homelessness, experiencing homelessness as a family, or with a pet, PILTers across San Diego County are working to address as many people as possible.

Sophie is doing a classic with setting up a hygiene drive at Helix Charter High School in the library. All hygiene products donated will go towards Urban Street Angels. Sarah is setting up a drive at her temple, as the mitzvah of the month, to collect donations for the organization as well. If anyone reading the blog is looking for ways to help, if you can provide full-sized shampoo, conditioner, body wash, soap, body lotion, toothbrushes, and toothpaste to help people experiencing homelessness, your efforts will not go unnoticed. You can set up a drive or donate to PILT or their partner organizations. Every donation is appreciated! 

Besides drives, PILTers and Community Outreach Club members from San Diego High helped clean out and organize PATH Connection’s clothing cabinet to make items easily accessible to PATH’s staff and a better experience for their clients. Anya has been working with East Village Middle College High School’s Interact Club to schedule multiple dinner services at Connections. PATH is so excited to have more volunteers and PILT is so happy to be able to provide the connection. Thank you for engaging Interactors into helping our vulnerable neighbors!

Regarding services, San Diego high schoolers helped with the food pantry that Ms. Monzet hosts in front of the school. Thank you to all those who showed up and helped give out fresh produce and canned food! PILT has individual and group projects planned. Some ideas include taco and burrito sales to raise funds, a birthday party for a kid experiencing homelessness, a bin filled with care kits in a neighborhood, and more. The projects are taking place in Community Outreach Club, which has lots of PILT members. The core group of PILTers at SDHS is working with Ms. Santos, who specifically works with high school students experiencing homelessness, to supply prom clothes, makeup, haircuts, photographs, and accessories. Ms. Santos and her co-workers are providing 50 free prom tickets and 50 free yearbooks, but don’t have the budget for all the things that are included with graduation, so Margaret, Olivia, Nicolo, Aya, and Minori are working on reaching out to other non-profits, like Princess Project, to supply those items and services. 

It seems like almost all PILTers have their semester project planned. Thank you to all for putting in the effort to help our vulnerable neighbors. PILT understands that it means a lot to take the time to volunteer with PILTers being hard-workers, overachievers, athletes, musicians, and academic weapons. Your efforts truly make this community livelier! 

Keep a look out for PILT’s March blog, as members begin projects and donate to its partner organizations. Thank you for reading, and let’s take a step towards a community with members who walk hand-in-hand!

—Minori