Our KIPP Texas Public Schools – Houston families need your help!
We want to share with you our COVID-19 recovery efforts and on behalf of our most vulnerable KIPPsters humbly ask for your support. At KIPP Texas-Houston we are not just schools, we are a team and a family. As a result, we go above and beyond for our KIPPsters when they need us.
In the last four weeks, KIPP Texas-Houston has:
- Distributed over 46,330 breakfast and lunch meals and the numbers keep growing.
- Mobilized a team to reach out to our KIPPsters who are currently homeless to ensure they have access to food, shelter, and technology.
- Established a survey to assess the food and financial needs of our KIPP families.
- Established the COVID-19 & Beyond Fund to provide emergency financial and basic needs assistance to KIPP families.
- Shifted to educating our KIPPsters through virtual lessons and distance learning.
- Distributed over 5,250 chromebook devices to our KIPPsters.
However, for our KIPP families who are the most disadvantaged, this is not enough. They are facing dire circumstances with not having enough money to pay for food and bills. Many of our students’ parents are hospitality, retail, and other hourly workers who are living paycheck to paycheck and are experiencing unprecedented financial hardship. Our hearts are heavy knowing that so many of our KIPP families are hungry and struggling to make ends meet.
“We are really emotional about not being able to work right now and it has hurt us financially. We are in bad shape not being [able] to pay for bills and mortgage payments, and barely have money to buy any food. Sometimes it hits me really hard but I try not to show it in front of the kids.” ~Parent of KIPP middle school student, family of 4
“My husband has not worked in more than a month and I can’t work now that my kids are at home. I receive food stamps but it is not enough to feed them. We don’t have money to buy more food or soap and other supplies, nonetheless to pay for rent or the light bill. We are so desperate.” ~Parent of KIPP high school student, family of 5
This is such difficult information for our students and families to share with anybody, but they trust us and they know we will do everything in our power to help. We are connecting our families with resources available to them. We are partnering with community based organizations to offer as much support as possible — but the need is tremendous. Our KIPPsters need you, we need you. You can make a difference by making a donation to the COVID-19 & Beyond Fund.
Please consider making a donation to the COVID-19 & Beyond Fund. Here are some key points you need to know:
- 100% of the funds raised will provide direct aid to our KIPP families with no administrative costs.
- ALL gifts are meaningful. Every dollar raised to support KIPP families counts.
- We have surveyed our families and the top needs are food and water and financial assistance to pay utilities and other bills.
- To make a donation, please click here or use the DONATE NOW button below.
For those of you that have already donated, THANK YOU so much for your support. We are so grateful to you for supporting our KIPPsters and partnering with us!
If you have any questions, please reach out to Jovanny Orellana, Director of Development, at jovanny.orellana@kipptexas.org or (832) 971-8975.
