Peer Navigator Samantha Vivian Gonzalez sorts through some of the clothing donated by Walmart to schools in Socorro.
Cathy Cook | El Defensor Chieftain Photos
Just before the holiday break, Socorro Walmart donated at least 18 pallets of clothing to the Socorro Unified School District. Large donations allow districts to expand existing closets.
“The school district appreciates the community-oriented donations Walmart has made, the generous donations Walmart has made, and appreciates recognizing how Socorro cares for all of its residents.” Socorro superintendent Ron Hendricks said.
The district already has a Michigan Avenue Marketplace and Socorro High School has a school store where all students can get the clothing and food they need for free. Saracino Middle School and Parkview Elementary School also have small clothing closets.
Socorro schools will be able to expand their clothing support after receiving a large donation from Walmart.
According to Project AWARE peer navigator Samantha Vivian Gonzalez, the donation will allow all schools in the district to provide clothing, including Midway and San Antonio. Donations include clothes, shoes, underwear and socks.
Donations are sorted and distributed by the school’s Project AWARE. This is a program that helps meet the needs of students and families, including emotional crisis support and community services and family ties.
Vivian Gonzalez said, “There are a lot of children right now who don’t have the clothes, food, etc. that they need to go to school every day.” There is so much we can do with this donation to get rid of, just to get rid of the needs of these families.
Project AWARE, in its first year as a program, features three people: Jackie Muncy, a project manager; Anna Ria, a clinician who works as a therapist throughout Socorro’s schools; and Vivian Gonzalez, who helps families get resources and clothing. consists of a team of and food, plus listening for students who need to talk to someone.
Project AWARE has helped families stay aware of services available through the district, Hendricks says. Project AWARE’s team hopes to have clothing spaces in every school within a month, thanks to large clothing donations.
