In their first community service project of the year, BOHS’s Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) classes collected 35 bags of clothes for the OC Rescue Mission in Tustin.  

AVID, a program that aims to improve student college and career readiness, held the non-profit clothing drive between Nov. 1 and Nov. 5. The clothing drive was a result of AVID’s yearly Service Learning Project to “understand the community, outreach, and service,” Elizabeth Ureno, AVID advisor, said.

“My hopes for this project were that the old and unwanted clothes can go to somebody who can appreciate it, and in a sense, bring a new life to the item,” Ashleigh Smith, AVID 9 representative, said. “It makes you feel good knowing that you did something that can help others.”

With a spending limit of $50 and a four- to five-week timeline, AVID 9 (AVID’s ninth grade class) led the effort to collect lightly worn, clean clothes that were to be dropped off in boxes located in the main office, and in rooms 225, 231, and 224, throughout the week. 

AVID students assigned roles for each member, created advertisements, printed flyers, collected the garments, and then delivered the donations to the OC Rescue Mission Organization on Nov. 8. 

The OC Rescue Mission Organization provides food, shelter, and clothing to people in need. They plan to use the clothes they receive from this charity project to extend a helping hand to those who wish for it.

“[This organization] was something that we felt was going to do the best things with the amount of items that we are going to give them,” Ureno said. “We don’t really want people to resell it. We want it to actually go to people who are in need and don’t have the means to get it.”

AVID publicist Samantha Hernandez, junior, added, “There is no profit of any sort coming from this clothing drive. It is simply to help people in Orange County stay warm throughout the cold weather that approaches.” 

Donators like Briana Edmonds, junior, chose to participate because she believes that students “can help others who don’t have as much and boost their spirits as the holidays are approaching.”

“Being a part of this event helped a lot of us realize how blessed we are,”  Lilliana Arenas, AVID 9 member said. “It was heartwarming knowing what we did this past week is going to help someone who isn’t as blessed as we are.”