For two weeks, teachers and students raised money and collected supplies for the Samaritan Inn, the only homeless shelter in Collin County. Led by counselor Alma Campo, the program went into action at the last Redhawk Rant and raised nearly $5,000 in donations.

“The idea was just in the back of my mind at first,” Campo said. “I was thinking of how much the Samaritan Inn had helped some of our students. We had originally thought of doing a coat drive like we had in previous years, but I emailed the Samaritan Inn to see what we could do for them instead.”

This fundraiser functioned to provide local families with the necessary items to get back on track while undergoing a transition time in their lives. The Samaritan Inn requested donating cash, purchasing gift cards, and assembling totes with items such as blankets and shampoo.

“We had 66 teachers fill out the form to get their classes involved, and we had tremendous results,” Campo said.

After money was turned in Friday, students will assemble the remainder of the totes.

“Groups of people in Student Council and Key Club are going to go buy the tote items with the money we raised,” Student Council member Allie Glass said.

Not only is the campus working with the Samaritan Inn, but with the Small World program as well.

“Around this time of the year we always partner with the Small World program,” Campo said. “We decided to combine Samaritan with Small World and ran with the idea of getting the entire school involved so that we would have enough people to donate to both causes and get results.”

The program continues the campus’ tradition of giving during the holiday season.

“I think it’s good our school is participating in this because it gives us a perspective on homelessness and how it affects those around us,” Glass said. “It makes us thankful for what we have.”