Backpacks aid youth in Calaveras County

Each year, Calaveras County Health and Human Service Agency (HHSA) and Calaveras County Office of Education ( CCOE) collaborate on innovative ways to utilize grant money aimed to help youth transition into adulthood while increasing safety and connection with community resources.

Taking into consideration the financial challenges families have faced this past year, the focus was to aid youth in meeting basic needs while providing connection to community resources, which led to the backpack go-bag project.

Lora Larson, deputy director of Calaveras County Social Services, shared that she reached out to CCOE'S Foster Youth Services Manager Kristina Smith, because “Kristina and her team are innovative and dialed into the needs of Calaveras County youth, and the backpack project is a primary example,” she said.

Smith and her Student Support Services team shopped for, assembled and distributed the backpacks.

“We have many transition-aged youths in our community whose living situations are very fluid,” Smith said. “The idea was to provide emergency supplies to youth who may need to evacuate or leave their home, for a variety of reasons.”

The backpacks contain school supplies, toiletry supplies, a blanket, socks, a hat, a scarf and gloves, a water bottle, and hand sanitizer. The intent of the backpack is to provide youth in crisis a “go-bag” to meet their immediate needs.

Agencies such as the

Children's Advocacy Center, Probation, Child Welfare, Behavioral Health, Sierra Child and Family Services, Environmental Alternatives Family Services, high school sites, and CCOE will distribute the backpacks.

“I hope the youth, receiving the backpacks, know that they are important, they matter and they are valued,” Larson said.

CCOE works closely with the Health and Human Service Agency to pro

vide programs and services to children in our schools and community. These partnerships are essential in meeting the needs of Calaveras County youth.

“I am humbled and honored to work with an amazing group of professionals whose primary focus is supporting youth and families,” Larson said.

Courtesy photo / Calaveras County Office of Education Student Support Services team members (from left) Heide Nagano, Kristina Smith, Melissa Harvey and Christinayarch stand with some of the backpacks assembled and awaiting delivery to local students in need.