Rose Hill Middle School Principal Joe Gorder and Associate Principal Kristen Tollefsen spoke to club's membership during the November 4 meeting to introduce Rotarians to The Hygiene Drive to benefit families at RHMS and its integrated choice program, Stella Schola. The drive began mid-October and runs through November 22. Throughout the year, The Pantry supports the RHMS community of students in need by providing hygiene items that they have requested. It began as a support effort when everything shut down at the beginning of the pandemic, forcing some of the RHMS families out of work or into financial uncertainty, and it continues as the needs continue.
Photo of the Rose Hill Middle School/Stella School Pantry when supplies were at a peak.
For the 2023-24 school year, 17.3% of RHMS students, which is 154 students, qualified as low-income. RHMS also has lots of families that join them during the school year, many of whom qualify as low-income, and staff connect as well with families they hear about during the year whose conditions have changed (parents lose jobs, etc.) and who have needs that are acute and very real. When they hear about them, they offer support.
The RHMS PTSA supports The Pantry with an annual donation --$750 each of the last few years-- used to purchase staples such as oil, sugar, flour, masa, etc. The staff estimates that the total value of materials they help get to families exceeds $10,000 a year. The overwhelming majority are hygiene items that are donated by families during this annual Pantry Hygiene Drive. The items are distributed to families when the school holds pantry “events”.
At RHMS, students compete for two weeks to bring in the most items through their first period class. The first, second, and third place classes that bring in the most items receive a big class prize. School leadership believes it benefits all of the RHMS community to support families in this way and they hope that the Hygiene Drive will stock The Pantry for the rest of the year.
The Rose Hill team has asked Rotarians to consider supporting students, parents, and staff acquire the following items to stock The Pantry:
- Vegetable oil
- Shampoo and conditioner
- Laundry soap
- Dish soap
- Toilet paper (6 pack)
- Paper towels
- Bars of soap
- Men’s deodorant
- Women’s deodorant
- Feminine hygiene items
It is vitally important that these items be acquired because the purpose is to fulfill the specific needs in the RHMS community. Families of students donate to InvestEd at the school, and those who work at a larger technology company in the area find that the firms will match donations as well.
Principal Gorder was clear that the school is not asking Rotary to fundraise for the school or solicit donations or contributions for The Pantry. In their quest to reach out to corporations and businesses, the school needs someone or an organization like Rotary that can serve as a go-between to help facilitate getting these donations to our families who need it the most. The school team would love to work with Rotary to make this happen. The club's board voted unanimously to support the effort in concept, and is working on a way to provide that support.
Principal Gorder was clear that the school is not asking Rotary to fundraise for the school or solicit donations or contributions for The Pantry. In their quest to reach out to corporations and businesses, the school needs someone or an organization like Rotary that can serve as a go-between to help facilitate getting these donations to our families who need it the most. The school team would love to work with Rotary to make this happen. The club's board voted unanimously to support the effort in concept, and is working on a way to provide that support.