Most teens take deodorant for granted.
But that isn’t the case for some Manteca Unified homeless students whose families can’t afford personal hygiene products.
It is compounded by the fact some homeless students may not have a healthy sanitary living environment in which to clean up daily.
As such it often makes it uncomfortable for older youths to mix with their peers at school prompting them not to socialize and to isolate themselves from classmates.
To avoid that from happening Manteca Unified keeps deodorant as well as wipes on hand to allow those homeless students needing them to cleanup so they can comfortably mix with peers and not stand out.
It is one example of how Manteca Unified makes sure homeless students as defined by the McKinney-Vento Act that lack fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence are able to take full advantage of a public education.
There are currently 527 of the district’s 24,000 students who are identified as homeless. While there are those living with their families in tents by the river or in cars most are in situations where they are living in garages, motel rooms, going with their families from one temporary home to another sleeping on couches and the floor, and other such and other such transitional housing situations.
While the district is required by law to provide homeless students to-and-from school transportation and additional tutoring, they go beyond that to address basic needs that can have a severe impact on a child’s ability to learn.
A common issue is ill-fitting shoes or clothing.
A recent example was a boy who showed up in class wearing shoes that were falling apart. In some cases the shoes homeless kids wear are too tight making it uncomfortable for them to concentrate in class.
The teacher noted the situation.
She then contacted the “local point of contact” Manteca Unified has at every school site to help address homeless student concerns. The contact person then worked with the Manteca Unified Homeless Program to request a pair of shoes. The student received new shoes immediately from the program that relies heavily on community contributions that is housed with MUSD Health Services at the former Lindbergh School campus at 311 East North Street.
The endeavor to assist homeless students when a need is identified provides things such as personal hygiene items and clothes to school supplies and backpacks.
The district program supporting homeless students is currently seeking the following items that can be delivered to MUSD Health Services at 311 E. North Street in Manteca:
*new socks in all sizes
*new underwear that is packaged in all kids’ sizes
*new jeans and gently used jeans in all sizes
*new tennis shoes
*new coats in all sizes
*new deodorant, for both men and women
Those so inclined can follow the example of Manteca Interfaith Community Appeal (MICA) and donate gift cards.
Last month MICA presented the Manteca Unified program with $4,000 in gift cards to bring the total they have donated to the effort to $24,000 during the last six years.
The MICA effort has been a big help especially in the program’s ability to secure coats to help keep homeless kids warm. And while there are new coats donated rarely are their ones that fit older kids.
The gift cards allow the program to get what a homeless student need exactly by making an immediate purchase.
Gift cards to Grocery Outlet, Save Mart, Food-4-Less, Dollar Tree, Dollar General and Walmart are preferred in increments of $5 to $20.
The churches represented in MICA’s effort this year were the Islamic Center of Manteca; St. Paul's United Methodist Church; Transformed Through Hope Ministries; The Baha'i Community of Manteca; The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints; The Seventh Day Adventist Church; St. Anthony's Catholic Church; The Sikh Community of Manteca; and an anonymous donor.
To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com
