Highlands Elementary School is a school where if you drove by you'd think what a pretty school. It is hidden in the hills of Spring Valley and has the appearance of a little oasis. What you can't see from the street or even from inside of the classrooms are the struggles that many of the students cope with day to day. From not enough food in the kitchens to homelessness to parents who are not in a child's life for a variety of reasons there is much we can't see but it is there. Common Ground has been the blessing that has saved many a child and family from a night without food or another day with dirty clothes. Common Ground has provided so much to our students and families this year. From a backpack at the start of school to gifts at Christmas to food at the end of the month when a family's access to food has run out Common Ground has been there, a quiet force working behind the scenes to make life a little better for a child or family one person at a time.
The members of the churches who work as part of Common Ground don't always get to see the faces of the people they help. They don't get the joy of seeing the tears of gratitude or the sigh of relief when a parent realizes Santa can indeed come this Christmas or when they know that they can put some food on the table for the next few days. At Highlands we have the great honor and privilege of seeing the prayers of a parent or child come true in a new pair of shoes or a package of clean underwear that are the correct size. These small gifts give people their sense of pride back; they found a way to make it through and provide something for their family.
On behalf of the staff here at Highlands and on behalf of the MANY children and families you have helped this year, we thank you Common Ground. Thank you for the time you spend organizing boxes of food, gifts, office supplies, and shoes. Thank you for the time delivering these blessings to our sites. Thank you for the endless hours spent shopping, planning, organizing and bringing it all together. Thanks for the vision you have had and for the help you give. None of us will never know for sure the impact a pair of shoes, a box of cereal, a tube of toothpaste, some clean socks or even a new Barbie will make because one can't measure a how a child feels or how much taller and prouder a parent stands when they know their child has what he/she needs, but I can say with certainty that the impact of your generosity has been felt across this school and throughout our community. Thank you for all you do and all you will continue to do in the years to come.
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