Football Players Need Food

Coach Wes Choate is not your normal run of the mill football coach. His goal is not to win football games. His goal is to be a strong role model for his players and help support them as they prepare for college. Now this might seem like an ordinary task as a high school educator and football coach, but not in the city of San Bernardino. 

Let me paint a picture for you. San Bernardino has made the news in recent years due to the terrorist attack on December 2nd, 2015, (the incident taking place just miles from the school site), San Bernardino City's bankruptcy filing, being named California's most dangerous city in 2016, and the ever-growing poverty rate at 30% and climbing. Of course, this information is only one small layer of the ever-growing issues facing the city and its students. 

Reading between the lines one might ask how does the above mentioned issues affect the students. Well for San Bernardino students it affects them more than we know. Student are dealing with issues that lend itself to living in poverty like lack of sleep, basic needs not being met, and instability at home. 

For the football players at San Bernardino High the struggle is making sure the players are being fed and have enough food to eat. Most players are not eating breakfast because they woke up late and didn't have time and missed their free or reduced breakfast at school or they may not have any food at their house. When lunch rolls by the players are served their free or reduced lunch, which let's be honest, is not super nutritious or tasty. Then right after school the players have practice till the evening. 

Here in lies the problem. Coach Choate has been feeding 45 football players for weeks out of his own pocket and on top of that he currently has a running tab with a local sandwich shop for over $800. Coach Choate needs our help to provide his players, who face adversity every day, with food in their stomach so that they can make it through the day. This isn't about football, it is about coming together to show these young athletes that we care. We care about making sure they have the tools needed to be successful, and in this case, it is the basic staple of food. Please help us make hope happen for Coach Choate and his team by donating non-perishable food items, gift cards to supermarkets, or cash. Food items and gift cards can be dropped off or sent to Wes Choate at San Bernardino High School at 1850 North E St., San Bernardino, CA 92405