There have been some remarkable stories of community, teamwork, and sacrifice throughout our current Resource Drive, but the one shared by the La Raza Growing Juntos youth group is truly the epitome of all three. Earlier this month, members of the group, students at Corvallis High School, learned about the growing food scarcity affecting local families as a result of the recent loss of SNAP benefits and other program cuts. Without hesitation, they decided to take action.
Over the summer, the students had raised funds for a planned field trip to Seattle. Instead, moved by the needs they saw in their own community, they chose to use that money to purchase essential resources for families facing hardship. In total, they donated $520 worth of food and supplies to the Resource Drive.
For some members of La Raza, supporting the campaign was deeply personal, many spoke about their own families’ past experiences with poverty and how critical community support can be in those moments. Others described their motivation simply as “everyone doing their part to take care of each other.”
Their generosity stands as an inspiring reminder of the compassion and leadership our Corvallis students bring to our community, and of the powerful impact young people can make when they choose to step up for others.
