So many families were affected by the flooding in Houston, Texas, during Hurricane Harvey. And the devastation extended into schools, too. Over the Thanksgiving season, the needs of students and their families was felt even more deeply – many families don’t have working ovens, stoves, or microwaves. But they still wanted to have a Thanksgiving dinner.
Juan Sorto is an amazing community leader in Northeast Houston – where the flooding was extensive. He’s been visiting kids in at Hilliard Elementary in Northeast for years. And he’s especially dedicated to bringing them joy in the post flood holiday season.
So for Day 328, we wanted to help Juan and some Hilliard students have a lovely Thanksgiving meal – despite the challenges.
First, we rented a car that could fit enough food for 66 students and 3 teachers for three separate classrooms! We then set about getting full meals that could be served without any preparation – roasted chickens, fresh bread, fruit, and some classic sides.
And the result? Pure joy.
“This is probably the best day of my life!” said one kid.
“We have a lot of kids that were impacted by Harvey, so this gonna be really good for them,” said Mrs. Parker, a 3rd grade teacher at Hilliard.
This gesture of a ready-to-eat Thanksgiving meal was simple – but incredibly meaningful for the students and their families. “This means everything,” said Juan. “Most of the families in this community are still waiting on FEMA assistance. They’re still struggling to make ends meet. Simple things like this can mean so much to people.”
