The holiday season looked and felt a little different for many families and students here in Orange County this year.
In Santa Ana, many students come from low-income families struggling to make ends meet, even more so now in this economic crisis. For those living under the federal poverty line, the holiday season can be stressful, and it can be tough to provide holiday gifts and even a special holiday meal for their families.
In an effort to spread holiday cheer and hope to local families, Goodwill of Orange County partnered with Bracken’s Kitchen and High School Inc. Academies Foundation, a nonprofit organization that supports the students at Valley High School, to provide 200+ holiday meal baskets.
Bracken’s Kitchen provided the delicious family meals.
Goodwill donated more than 3,000 place settings and handwritten holiday cards for High School Inc. to put together the personalized holiday baskets for Valley High School students.
The holiday baskets also included TJMaxx gift cards for holiday gifts, homemade dessert, custom menus created by Valley High students, and more. Additional sponsors included Starcare Foundation, Tom’s Trucks, Cambalache Grill Argentine & Italian Cuisine and many additional individual donors.
On December 21st, as part of High School Inc.’s Give Gratitude campaign, the holiday baskets were distributed to students and their families via a drive-up distribution event at Valley High School called Jingle All the Way.
