As Mid-Pen students stood in the WeHOPE offices in East Palo Alto, Case Manager Mother Spicer described the importance of learning about self care. Mother Spicer leads a self-care class at the WeHOPE Shelter that focuses on building and boosting self-esteem. One student asked why self care needs to be taught, to which Mother Spicer explained that before you can expect others to appreciate you, you must first appreciate yourself.
Last week, Mid-Pen Black Student Union (BSU) students toured the WeHOPE Shelter and offices after dropping off two large boxes of toiletries they had gathered earlier this semester during a community drive. WeHOPE (an acronym for We Help Other People Excel) is a local nonprofit that supports individuals experiencing homelessness, hunger, underemployment, and recidivism, providing essential resources to help them achieve health, stable employment, and housing.
The students' donations will be used in WeHOPE’s Dignity on Wheels vehicles, which provide shower and laundry services to the homeless population in five counties across California. Students were able to see the direct impact of their donation drive efforts, a powerful reminder of how access to basic services can restore dignity and hope to those facing homelessness.
Students made their way down a hallway lined with wooden, single tiered lockers as they entered the shelter. WeHOPE employee Nakia Davis explained that every new constituent gets their own locker to keep all of their belongings in. Mid-Pen Senior Rylee C. later reflected, “It was eye opening to see that people live there. The lockers were so tiny, my closet wouldn’t fit at all.”
Seeing a reality different from their own, while a shock, is valuable for students, whether it cultivates empathy or sparks an initiative to help. Students left their visit feeling like there was so much more to do. As Senior Monze J. expressed, “I wish we could’ve been more hands on and doing something, like passing things out and interacting.”
Mother Spicer told the students that some individuals she works with have never learned how to effectively regulate their emotions or set boundaries. Instead of using words to express themselves, they’ve resorted to either physically letting out their emotions or internalizing them. That struck a chord with some of the students, leaving them to wonder how they too can set boundaries in their own lives.
The BSU looks forward to finding more ways to partner with WeHOPE and other organizations to create meaningful opportunities for students to engage in service and make a positive impact locally. By collaborating on future projects, drives, and educational events, Mid-Pen and the BSU aims to strengthen connections within the community and empower students to become active participants in addressing important social issues.