December 21, 2020 3:20 a.m.

More than 100 homeless youth and tribal students are receiving special gifts and school supplies this holiday season, thanks to donations distributed through the Roseburg Public School’s Office of Student Services.

RPS Assistant Superintendent Michelle Knee said this year, 105 students have been referred for services through the district’s Title 10 McKinney Vento and Title 6 American Indian Education programs. Knee said members of tribal communities in and around Oregon donated the majority of gifts that will be given to younger children. Local faith-based and fraternal organizations donated gift cards for older students. The national organization SchoolHouse Connection provided school supplies.

The RPS release said Juliana Marez, the district’s McKinney Vento/American Indian education/Child Welfare Point of Contact, has organized rounds of gift-giving for these students for more than 20 years. With help from fellow Office of Student Services team members, Marez is spending the days up until Christmas, delivering gift cards, remote learning supplies such as fully charged battery packs, school and art supplies, and “birthday parties in a bag” for those observing winter birthdays.

Marez said each package includes a note to students letting them know that their community and schools care about them. Marez said “Knowing that there is kindness and caring and that they matter is especially important in this time”. She said as she delivers the packages, she challenges students to think of a way to “pay it forward”.

Organizations that donated items for this year’s giving, included First United Methodist Church, First Presbyterian Church, St. George Episcopal Church, Laurel Lodge Masonic Temple, Roseburg Salvation Army and Inter-Tribal Outreach.