Early Risers? These Volunteers Don’t Mind: SAAS Students, Alumni, and Parents Spend Thanksgiving Morning Giving to Seattle’s Homeless

Article By: Sam Rawlins '20 

 

This past Thanksgiving morning, eleven Seattle Academy students and six SAAS parents/alumni volunteered at the annual Survive the Streets (STS) event in downtown Seattle. Now in its twentieth year, STS’ goal is to provide over 250 people with the clothing and gear they need to stay safe and warm during winter. At the event, students and parents served homeless men and women hot breakfast, pastries, and coffee until the “pop-up” store opened for business at 8 AM. They then acted as personal shoppers to assist the men and women in selecting backpacks, sleeping bags, and other clothing items such as winter coats and gloves. This year, the STS crew outfitted 275 people in a record two and a half hours! 

Student Participants: Ben Cady ‘23, Emily Cady ‘21, Rhys Fiebig ‘22, Olivia Finkelstein ‘20, Sophia Fonseca ‘22, Grace Forslund ‘21, Natalie Graham ‘21, Mia Hejlsberg ‘21, Jackie Kranick ‘21, Kate MacArthur ‘21, and Sam Rawlins ‘20. 

And, thanks to the generosity of the Seattle Academy community, we were once again able to donate four large boxes full of sleeping bags, blankets, and backpacks in support of the effort, as well as to the 10th grade class that packed 200 hygiene kits at their fall retreat. For more information on Survive the Streets, visit their website at Survive the Streets.

Photos courtesy and used by permission of Lake Lewis '18 and Margaret Nicosia (McKinley '11).