Let's help Pho!

Phonique Sanchez is an an 18 year-old woman who moved to Tigard last year from South Dakota. She enrolled in my leadership class and I could immediately tell she was special. With a 3.9 GPA and incredible life experience at such a young age, Pho quickly emerged as a class leader and easily one of my favorite students. In October, she let me know that she was withdrawing  from all classes and graduating early. I was surprised and little sad to see her go, but signed the paper and gave her a hug. Over the next two months, I'd see her sporadically here and there and everything seemed to be going okay. Until just last week. I was on my home when I spotted Pho walking down Durham in the pouring rain. I asked her where she was going and she responded that she didn't have any place to go. I sat and talked with her awhile and learned that her and her family have been homeless since October and that is why she left my class because she's trying to graduate early. Her family has been living in a car with her mom, brother, cousins and aunts.  I knew I had to help anyway I could, and that meant soliciting my family and friends to help us figure out a place for them to go. The stars have aligned and we met a true airbnb her who helped us get the family settled in North Portland. Now we need your help getting them some groceries, Christmas gifts and general items. Any type of donation helps! We are looking for gently used clothing, (kids and young adult sizes), shoes, socks, toiletries as well as gas gift cards.