Redwood Heights School GIVE A FAMILY A HUG!

 

Greetings! My name is Jennifer Wilson and I am the Community Schools Manager at Redwood Heights Elementary School in Oakland, CA.

Almost one year ago, I launched a campaign to support Redwood Heights families impacted by COVID. We raised over $10,000 through the GoFundMe campaign - RHS Cares - and another $15,000 through other donations.

We are once again reaching out to our community of friends and families to support housing- and food-insecure families through our new Give A HUG campaign as COVID continues to impact many families.

 

Last year, I shared the concept of Mutual Aid and I am sharing it again here as it is just as important now.

 

Mutual aid consists of the collective actions it takes to support community wellbeing and reaffirm that all lives have inherent value. We all have needs and we are all capable of helping each other to fulfill some of these needs. This approach is distinctively egalitarian and rooted in reciprocity and agency. -- "What is Mutual Aid? A Primer" by the Climate Justice Alliance

One of the core tenets of mutual aid is the idea of solidarity, not charity. Solidarity involves collectively working together to solve the root causes of structural inequity - from trans activist and scholar Dean Spade.

 

Mutual Aid speaks to how we can all be a part of supporting our RHS community's wellbeing. Your donation to the Give a Hug campaign is truly giving a family a HUG as it supports their emotional wellbeing by reducing stress associated with financial insecurities.

 

This is your opportunity to support our RHS families. Some of us have received stimulus checks or EBT food cards. Some of us will need this money to pay our own bills or buy food to support our own family.  Some of us have extra and are in a position to donate to our Give a HUG campaign. Every donation will go a long way to support families in our RHS community.

 

All money goes directly to support RHS families.

 

If you or someone you know are in need of assistance or you have questions, please reach out to Jennifer Wilson. All information is confidential.

 

With respect and gratitude,

Jennifer Wilson, Community Schools Manager