Turner Ashby FCCLA creates sleeping bags and care kits for homeless

BRIDGEWATER, Va. (WHSV) - The Family and Career Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) club at Turner Ashby High School has been working on a community service project for those experiencing homelessness in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County.

FCCLA is largely based on community service, this year the students at Turner Ashby wanted to do more than just a drive or fundraiser.

“A lot of the students in our school were super impacted by what they learned because not only did they do this service project in class they were also learning about homelessness and why it’s important to take it into consideration,” Grayson Long, member of the FCCLA at Turner Ashby High School said.

150 students spent Feb and March learning new skills to create sleeping bags and care kits for those experiencing homelessness.

With the help of a travel nurse, they were able to get supplies that are otherwise thrown away.

“All the surgical equipment is wrapped in it when they’re doing the surgery and it gets thrown in the trash and so this is a good use for it, it’s lightweight -- it’s something that would be easy for the homeless to carry,” Debra Bontz, director of homeless ministry at Asbury United Methodist Church said.

The student’s goal was to make five sleeping bags, they were able to make 10 along with 40 care kits filled with personal hygiene products.

“I’ve seen families come through and just need help and support and this will be greatly appreciated,” Bontz said.

While students learned about the impacts of those experiencing homelessness in the Valley, they also were taught skills they can carry with them.

“My dad is the executive director of Hope Distributed located in Harrisonburg so I’ve seen this all first hand and so it was extremely important for me to give back to all those people that I see on a weekly basis,” Briley Wilhelm, a student in FCCLA at Turner Ashby said.

Bontz will deliver the sleeping bags and care packages with the weekly meals she distributes to those experiencing homelessness next Saturday.

“A lot of people think homelessness only happens in big cities but in reality it doesn’t, it happens here in our community and it’s important to note that and know it can happen to anyone and it’s important to help those people,” Long said.

Members of the Turner Ashby FCCLA have already talked about doing this project, or one similar again next year.