Splendora Freshmen Deliver Care Packages To Homeless People

SPLENDORA, TX — Kayleigh McClellan and her mother, Veronica McClellan, were brainstorming service project ideas while on a drive when the answer appeared in front of them.

“We were driving and saw a lot of homeless people, and we thought it would be a good idea to help them,” Kayleigh McClellan said.

Her next step was to tell her friend, Morgan Squier, who was enthusiastic about the idea. McClellan and Squier are freshmen at Splendora High School and needed to accrue service hours for graduation requirements. The classmates decided to prepare care packages for homeless people in the Splendora area.

The pair made 30 packages and rode with their parents to deliver them along Highway 59 in the Splendora area last month. The packages consisted of non-perishable foods and toiletries, including toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, shampoo, lotion and floss.

Both McClellan and Squier said delivering the packages was fun and that it was nice to briefly chat with the people they met delivering the packages.

“It was heartwarming, really, to see their faces light up,” Squier said. “A lot of them told us they were going to pray for us.”

McClellan and Squier put in plenty of groundwork before delivering the packages. They contacted local businesses for several weeks asking for donations and supplemented the bags with items they purchased themselves. The pair spent several hours after school organizing the supplies and preparing the packages to be delivered.

McClellan and Squier said the gratitude shown by the recipients of the packages left a lasting impression on them. The experience and reception were so positive that the pair has talked about doing it again soon.

“I want to remember how grateful they were and remember to be grateful for what I have and not focus on what I don’t have,” Squier said.

“It’s always good to help people,” McClellan added.

Patch has partnered with Feeding America to help raise awareness on behalf of the millions of Americans facing hunger. Feeding America, which supports 200 food banks across the country, estimates that in 2021, about 42 million Americans may not have enough nutritious food to eat due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. This is a Patch social good project; Feeding America receives 100 percent of donations. Find out how you can donate in your community or find a food pantry near you.