POLK COUNTY, Fla. — A record number of Polk County students are now experiencing homelessness, according to social workers that track the issue in the county. Now school workers are stepping in to help families this Christmas.
It is all hands on deck at the Polk County Public Schools T.A.S.S.E.L. project headquarters. Volunteers are wrapping gifts for close to 1,500 students in need.
“TASSEL was created in the social work department to help eliminate barriers for students and their families in hopes to get them to school and get them to graduate and earn their tassel,” said Ashley Dukes, TASSEL coordinator.
For the past few weeks, TASSEL has been holding a holiday toy drive. The toys collected are part of joy boxes that are being put together for students and their families.
“They give us a list of their most favorite things, and so we get to hunt it down and make this beautiful box just for them. It's so special,” said Jackie Breeden, a school social worker.
Breeden said she is seeing more students experiencing homelessness as some families are no longer able to afford rent.
“Some of these kiddos are living in cars, living under bridges. We go to hotel rooms. When we walk into their space, into their home, a lot of things that they have is just little trinkets. So, we’re able to give them something that is so meaningful for them,” said Breeden.
The school district has identified 3,500 homeless students and expects that number to grow. One school social worker said she will be giving her joy boxes to 20 “unaccompanied youth.” Those are students living on their own.
“Provide some normalcy for them. In this situation, unfortunately, gifts are going to fall on the wayside because they’re bills that need to be paid and other things that the money needs to be allocated for. So, these students are going to be able to still experience Christmas,” said Emily Virts, a school social worker.
