Among Helix Charter High School’s (HCHS) listed mission and values, is the belief that each student has the capacity to learn and become a contributing member of society. Through the cultivation of diverse ideas, principles and cultures, the school has developed a community dedicated to continuously contributing to those in need.

This holiday season, many Helix Charter students and staff have combined efforts to eradicate food and housing insecurities.

People Assisting the Homeless (PATH), an organization dedicated to ending homelessness for individuals, families and communities, has helped more than 13,000 return home in over 150 cities. Among PATH’s San Diego volunteers is Brayden Pape, a current senior at Helix Charter.

While volunteering, Pape noticed an urgent and evolving need for hygiene products that PATH was struggling to meet. Motivated to help, he had the idea to gather like-minded students involved in fighting against food and housing insecurity to tackle the issues together.

Following a visit with his supervisor Sigrid Struben, the associate director of Community Affairs for PATH, Pape launched and became the founder and CEO for the PATH Interscholastic Leadership Team (PILT) in 2021, during his sophomore year.

“PILT’s aim is to rally Gen-Zers to step up and be part of the solution,” Pape said. “Our motto is ‘Community, Collaboration, Compassion’ because homelessness cannot be eradicated unless we, as a community, understand that homelessness affects all of us. Any hope for a sustainable long-term solution starts with awareness.”

As a non-profit organization, PILT has partnered with 12 K-12 schools in five San Diego County school districts to support those experiencing homelessness. Although not an official HCHS club, Pape considers the campus to be PILT’s “headquarters” due to the school’s continued support.

PILT launches plethora of events over holiday season

This holiday season, Helix Charter High Community Relations & Engagement Coordinator Lauren Knuth detailed that PILT has launched a plethora of events, drives and efforts to support their community.

“73 male and eight female formerly unhoused veterans at PATH San Diego’s supportive housing site for veterans requested hygiene products and coats from PILT,” Knuth said. “PILT is fulfilling this request mainly through the school-wide drive at Helix, supported by Mission Bay High School’s Outreach Club and Key Club. Another of PILT’s partner schools, Albert Einstein Academics, is holding a drive for coats and warmer clothing for them.”

Additionally, two of HCHS’s on-campus clubs have partnered with PILT this holiday season.

HCHS’s chapter of the National Honor Society has provided diapers to YMCA’s youth parents at their request. And, for the third consecutive year, the Art Club, under the advisory of Art Department Chair Christine Colera, has collaborated with PILT to provide colorful blanket donation boxes for PATH San Diego’s holiday blanket drive. Pape commented that the blankets collected in the donation boxes are distributed to unsheltered and newly housed community members during the holiday season.

“I can see how wonderful PILT has been with the aid of those working to better themselves and give them opportunities to get off the street and move towards independence,” Colera said. “I firmly support this effort and see even more and more need for programs like this as homelessness becomes an ever-increasing problem for our communities.”

Art Club members and sophomores Sophie Brown and Morgan Achterberg each helped paint the donation boxes.

“I think it is insanely important for people, especially students, to help the community around them and participate in activities like the painted boxes,” Brown said. “It can help people connect and find out other ways to help the less fortunate. I also think that it could help spread awareness about these topics, such as homelessness. I’ve experienced homelessness myself, and being able to help others that are going through similar things is so important and incredible.”

“It’s honestly been a good time to reflect and be grateful for what I do have,” Achterberg commented. “I am also extremely happy that our art will be able to help people who are less fortunate than us. […] You never know who may get what you provide, for all you know it could be the kid you sit next to in science class, or your best friend from kindergarten.”

Gift card drive ran through Dec. 20

The HCHS Wellness Center hosted the Helix Hope Gift Card Drive through Dec. 20 in an effort to ease the financial burden for families during the winter break, according to Director of Education Services Elena Smith and Helix Social Worker Danielle Yee.

“Annually we have held a food drive for Helix families before winter break, but with specific needs of each family and the ease of being able to purchase what is needed versus what is donated… we opted for the gift card option this year,” Smith and Yee explained. “Helix staff is very generous with their donations each year and we are looking forward to helping several families.”

The center’s farmer’s market was a one-day event held in November in partnership with the It’s All About the Kids organization and their work with the San Diego Food Bank.

“The market provided an opportunity for fresh fruits and vegetables to families to help ease the financial burden,” Smith and Yee said. “We also provided the educational info for each of the items provided so students knew the nutritional benefits of each.”

These events are only a small insight into the various groups, organizations, clubs, staff, community members, HCHS students, PILT partnership schools and individuals that have continuously given back to their community and helped in reducing housing, food and additional socio-economic insecurities.