TULSA, Okla. — A Tulsa elementary school has won recognition from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for its efforts to help homeless vets.
Henry Zarrow International School finished in first place in the VA’s nationwide “End Veteran Homelessness Challenge.”
According to a news release from the VA, the school collected housewares, cookware, cleaning supplies and toiletries valued at more than $2,000. Items were donated to the Eastern Oklahoma VA Health Care System’s Homeless Program which is distributing the items to Veterans.
“We got an invitation from the federal offices asking us to participate, so we decided to join and say yes to the challenge,” said Raquel Astacio, a 3rd grade Science and Social Studies teacher at Henry Zarrow International. “I did not know that Veteran homelessness was such a big problem in the United States. We believe it’s a great cause.”
Students will be presented with a certificate of appreciation at 8:35 a.m. on Friday in the school gym.
According to a survey conducted in January 2018 in the Tulsa Metro area, a total of 1,083 people were identified as being homeless. Of those, 113 were veterans, the VA says.
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