Every year toward the winter holidays, students and staff across the school district engage in charitable efforts to help people in the community.

This year, students and staff at Bay Farm School, Love Elementary School, and Alameda High School collected food, diapers, and/or money for the Alameda Food Bank. Camp Edmo, an afterschool care program at Ruby Bridges Elementary School, held a Thanksgiving Food Drive for families needing support at that school site.

Island High School partnered with the food bank in a different way: by providing a “mini pantry” to students needing food support at Thanksgiving and the Winter Break. Lincoln Middle School held a canned food drive for Meals on Wheels and asked students to write short letters to be delivered to families in need around the Island.

Bay Farm School and Encinal Jr. & Sr. High School also held a coat drive for the non-profit One Warm Coat. Encinal students also collected 345 toys for Toys for Tots, while the Franklin Falcons collected three large bins of toys for All Good Living.

Students at Paden, Otis and Edison elementary schools also took part in winter charitable programs. Lastly, the Business Services Department at Alameda Unified School District donated 1,000 COVID-19 rapid tests to the food bank and 200 rapid tests to the Alameda Point Collaborative.