Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/50712
LOCAL: MEMBERS: COMMUNITY: POPULATION: OUTREACH: Hanford Elementary Teachers Association 272 Hanford 53,967 Feeding disadvantaged families over the holidays Hanford feeds poor families over holidays c ABOVE: April Silva, Hanford Elementary TA president, sorts food with Ricky Davalos, Ethan Teale, and Kaila Stone, while Cheryl Guilbeau, second-grade teacher at Monroe Elementary School, inspects food with Melina Gonzales. ARING, COMPASSION AND STRONG TIES to community groups were evident recently when members of the Han- ford Elementary Teachers Association (HETA) gathered with classified employees, administrators, students, parents, and a representative of the Salvation Army at Monroe Elemen- tary School after hours to organize items for a districtwide canned food drive to help families in need during the holiday season. Together, representatives from all of these groups sorted and stacked food items, getting them ready for delivery. "We don't just care about kids when they are in our classrooms," says April Silva, HETA president. "We care about them all the time. We care about their education. We care about what happens once they leave school. And we care about their families." Members of HETA decided the best way to demonstrate that caring was through a massive community outreach effort in Hanford, a rural community near Fresno. Silva says she got the idea after attending the CTA Presidents Conference in 2010 and hearing about the benefits of community involvement. HETA applied for a grant to CTA's Com- munity Outreach Department , which presented the chapter with $2,500 to get the ball rolling. The first thing HETA did was create a committee devoted to commu- nity projects — and members were eager to join, says Alicyn Cawley, a first-grade teacher who heads the committee. "Teachers jumped on board, and some of them had never been involved with HETA before. People can see that our union is not about personal gain; it's about being here for our community and our kids." "It's been a very positive experience," says Paul Terry, super- April Silva ABOVE: Anne Lomax, classified employee, and daughter Mikia Lomax, 11th-grader at Mount Eden High School in Hay- ward, at the conference. happy with. So I decided to go and do something about it. We all have to do our part." Members of both CTA affiliates call the conference a "good beginning" and a "starting point," and believe that stakehold- ers should continue to meet and eventually implement a plan. Faraj hopes that follow-up events will be more welcoming of union teachers and classified employees who wish to par- ticipate. I'm hoping that in the future, this will pave the way for working together more collaboratively." intendent of the Hanford Elementary School District. "I was pleased when HETA asked district administration and classi- fied employees for a partnership to do something positive for the community. This collective effort will make a difference to many families we serve." Major Orpha Moody of the Salvation Army calls the effort "truly amazing." Last year, the food drive effort netted 8,000 pounds of canned goods for the Salvation Army to disperse to struggling families. The willingness of HETA members to support the community has resulted in the community being willing to support them. This year's bargaining just finished, and the HETA team was successful in keeping their medical benefits intact and taking no days off the calendar. The spirit has filtered down to youngsters, who brought canned goods from home. "It makes me feel good to give to people who don't have food," says Melina Gonzales, age 8. "It's a good thing to do." A LOT OF US HETA MEMBERS FEEL HOW LUCKY WE ARE, AND ARE GRATEFUL TO GIVE BACK TO A COMMUNITY THAT HAS GIVEN SO MUCH TO US. December 2011 • January 2012 / www.cta.org 17 GROCERIES L IRR BAY SUPIH ES SPLCOO L BOARD OF EDUCA TION C NO TRMN C M E E UI TY