Summer Rise: Keeping Las Vegas families fed during the pandemic

Organizations across Las Vegas are partnering up to bridge the gap for families that are struggling the most to make ends meet during this global pandemic.

Jackie Kostek reports.

THAT'S THE REASON WHY HERE AT13 ACTION NEWS WE'RE COMMITTEDTO OUR 13 CONNECTS COMMUNITYINITIATIVE CALLED SUPER SUMMERRISE.WE'RE FOCUSING ON OURCHILDREN'S EDUCATION ANDDEVELOPMENT AS THEY STAY HOMEDURING THE PANDEMIC AND INTOTHE SUMMER MONTHS.C-C-S-D IS MAKING A HUGE EFFORTTO FEED THE CHILDREN SO THEYWON'T GO HUNGRY DURING THEPANDEMIC.SO FAR--- CCSD HAS PASSED OUTMORE THAN 1.1 MILLION MEALS TOSTUDENTS IN A LITTLE MORE THANA MONTH--- AN AVERAGE OF MORETHAN 60,000 EVERY DAY.BUT FOR MANY FAMILIES--- JUSTGETTING TO THOSE DISTRIBUTIONSITES TO PICK UP THE MEALS CANBE VERY CHALLENGING.IN TODAY'S SUPER SUMMER RISESTORY, 13 ACTION NEWS ANCHORJACKIE KOSTEK LOOKS AT THE WAYSOTHER ORGANIZATIONS ARE HELPINGBRIDGE THE GAP."IT'S BEEN A CHALLENGE.IT'S BEEN A CHALLENGE." YVONNEPEREZ WAS LAID OFF FROM HERCASINO JOB ON MARCH 16TH - THESAME DAY CCSD SCHOOLS WERECLOSED."IT'S BEEN ROUGH WITH TRYING TOSTAY AFLOAT AND NOT WORRY ABOUTBILLS BEING PAID.HOW CAN YOU NOT?" PEREZ HAS ANUNEMPLOYMENT CLAIM PENDING BUTHAS YET TO RECEIVE MONEY.AS THE FOSTER MOTHER OF TWOYOUNG CHILDREN, SHE SAYS SHE'SRELYING SOLELY ON THE $1000 AMONTH SHE GETS FROM THE FOSTERCARE SYSTEM, FOOD STAMPS ANDFOOD PROGRAMS LIKE THE ONEOFFERED BY CCSD."WE'VE BEEN COMING TO GET THELUNCHES FOR THE KIDS IN THEMORNING WHICH HAS BEEN A REALLYBIG HELP." AND ALTHOUGH PEREZSAYS SHE'D LIKE TO ACCESS OTHERCOMMUNITY FOOD PROGRAMS, LIKETHE DRIVE-THRU OPTION OFFEREDBY THREE SQUARE, SHE SAYS THELINES HAVE BEEN TOO LONG -SOMETIMES HOURS - TO JUSTIFYTHE GAS MONEY."MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON SOI'M NOT TRYING TO BREAK MY CARJUST TO STAND IN A LINE FOR TWOHOURS FOR A BOX OF FOOD." IS ABOX OF FOOD WORTH THE COST OFGAS IT TAKES TO WAIT IN LINE?OR OF RISKING NEEDING CARREPAIRS SOONER?

THESE ARE THEKINDS OF DAILY CHALLENGESFAMILIES ACROSS SOUTHERN NEVADAFACE EVERY SINGLE DAY."OUR FAMILIES WERE STRUGGLINGBEFORE AND NOW ALL OF THAT'SJUST EXACERBATED." TAMIHANCE-LEHR, CEO OF COMMUNITIESIN SCHOOLS NEVADA, SAYS THENON-PROFIT IS CURRENTLY WORKINGWITH AROUND 100 AGENCIES TOELIMINATE BARRIERS AND KEEPFAMILIES FED DURING THISPANDEMIC AND BEYOND."WE'VE BEEN DOING SOME HOMEDELIVERIES SO OUR SITECOORDINATORS WILL LITERALLY PUTTHE BAGS IN THEIR CARS AND TAKETHEM OVER TO THEIR KIDS HOMESAND DO THAT." HANCE-LEHR SAYSCCSD PRINCIPALS ARE HELPINGIDENTIFY FAMILIES MOST IN NEEDOF HELP."ANY PRINCIPAL THAT HASIDENTIFIED A FAMILY THAT IS ATHIGH RISK, THAT IS NOT BEINGSERVED BY ANOTHER SOCIALSERVICE ORGANIZATION AND CAN'TLEAVE THEIR HOME - DOESN'T HAVESOMEONE SHOPPING FOR THEM - CISIS GOING TO BE THE NON-PROFITTHAT IS GOING TO FACILITATEWORKING TO MEET THE IMMEDIATENEEDS OF STUDENTS AND FAMILIES,ADULT SIZE PROBLEMS THAT THEYSHOULDN'T HAVETO DEAL WITH SO WE'RE JUSTDOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO MAKESURE WE CANELIMINATE WHATEVER BARRIER THATMIGHT BE." JK, 13 ANWE ALSO REACHED OUT TO RTC TOSEE WHETHER BUSES COULDPOTENTIALLY BE USED TO HELPCCSD REACH MORE FAMILIES.A SPOKESPERSON SAID WHILE THATIS NOT HAPPENING NOW, THEAGENCY IS ALWAYS EVALUATING HOWIT CAN HELP THE COMMUNITY.WE HAVE MORE INFORMATION ONTHIS STORY AND OTHERS AT KTNVDOT COM SLASH 13 CONNECTS SLASHSUMMER RISE.13 CONNECTS SUPER SUMMER RISEIS SPONSORED BY AMERICA FIRSTCREDIT UNION AND SUBARU OF LASVEGAS.IT'S AN EMOTIONAL TIME FOR JUST