BHS students volunteer at Homeless Stand Down event
The students pictured are (from left to right) First Row: Christina Randazzo, Megan Huntington, Abby Christel, Grace Mansuetto, Nicole Desmond, Lauren Hyland, Matt Best and Claire Reid. Second Row: Megan Guinter, Amanda Cusimano, Lilly Clark, Molly Harkness, Connor Flynn, Garrett Butler and Ben Kendall. Top Row: Luke Fortunato and Will Huntington.
Cleveland winters can be tough, but can you imagine what they would be like without a warm place to call home or clothes to keep you comfortable in the frigid temperatures? This is the reality for the homeless in Cleveland this winter. In an effort to help, some students from Bay High School volunteered at the Homeless Stand Down event on Jan. 23 at Public Hall.
The Homeless Stand Down event is run by an organization called Hands On Northeast Ohio that connects volunteers to opportunities near them. The Bay High School Student Council has been participating in the Homeless Stand Down event for many years. At the event, the student volunteers either helped in the kids area or in the distribution center. The volunteers in the kids area watched the children while their parents were picking out clothing for the whole family with the help of those students in the distribution area. Through this experience the volunteers gained insight into the magnitude of homelessness here in Cleveland.
Molly Harkness, a junior at Bay High School said, “It was an eye-opening experience. You get to meet many interesting people who you wouldn’t likely see in Bay Village. And I had tons of fun!”
In addition to child care and clothing, the event also included health screenings by medical professionals, job assistance for employment, connections to other aid organizations, and haircuts!
Some of the health screenings at the event included HIV/Aids, breast cancer, diabetes and blood pressure.
Will Huntington, BHS president of Student Council said, “Volunteering at the Homeless Stand Down is always a special experience. It’s really cool to see how much it means to people, and it’s a great way to give back to the community.”
The event raised awareness of homelessness and helped to assist those in need. Hearing about homelessness is different than actually going into the city and meeting people. The student volunteers were able to directly interact and make a difference with people who are homeless in our greater community.
Megan Guinter
My name is Megan Guinter and I am a junior at Bay High School! I am involved in the following ways in my school and community: Vice President of Service for Bay High School Student Council, A Cappella Choir, Show Choir, Team Africa, National Honor Society, editor of the Bay Window, Young Life, the Village Food Project, and Swim Team.