The current economic recession hurts everyone, especially children. Over the past years public education in the State of California has been saddled with severe cuts in funding which have resulted in reduced school staffing and diminished enrichment opportunities. In addition, the level of poverty and the fundamental need in our neighboring communities is increasingly evident in many local schools. Young elementary school children are coming to school in shoes and clothes that don’t fit or are worn out. In certain areas, the percentage of students considered socioeconomically challenged and qualifying for the free or subsidized breakfast / lunch program is increasing. Families struggle to meet the most fundamental needs of their children. These same families are asked by parent organizations to raise money to help bridge the education gap created by the necessary budget reductions.

The schools who are not able to bridge this gap are struggling. There are school libraries needing books. Decreased educational staffing has resulting in increased class sizes putting a critical strain on many schools already on program improvement. There has been a reduction or elimination of classes we all used to take for granted, like music and PE. This gap is all the more evident in our unified high school district when cross sections of students meet in a freshman class.

Serve The Peninsula was formed in 2006 to support public schools in their mission of meeting students’ full range of developmental needs – intellectual, physical, mental, and social-emotional. We have a range of volunteer service programs, from: helping provide the most fundamental needs like food and clothing; to teaching and mentoring “high risk” girls and boys in our high schools.

Our mission is: Find a wound and heal it. Find a need and meet it.

• With our Food Distribution Program, we provide the children with food so they can focus on learning instead of being hungry.
  
  
• With our Beautiful Day Projects, we show the students and teachers they are appreciated and valued. We try to make their surroundings more pleasant and improve morale.
  
  
• The RWC PE (Redwood City Physical Education) Program gets them active and promotes social-emotional skills and interaction with others.
  
  
• And Team Ascent prepares individuals in high risk or at high risk environments for a life different from the one they know. We show them options.