Throughout the month of November, MacArthur Students donated money to help those in need, raising over 1000 dollars.  The Change for Charity program benefited C.E.N.A., caring educators nurturing all, and helps students and families in need within the Santa Ana Unified School District.  CENA hosts a holiday meal on Christmas Eve and donates food and gifts.  

Mrs. Maria Denise Vicario, A.S.B. advisor, oversaw the collection of donations. Students donated money in the office or during their first period classes.

Vicario said, “With ASB, it is important to learn to give freely and we want to share that with the students as well.  The families that are going to receive the food and gifts are in our district.”

Vicario mentioned that she was thinking of moving Change For Charity to December.  She feels like more students would participate because it would tie in with the holidays.

Natalie Ruiz, eighth grader, said, “Knowing that my money is going to help others get the items they need makes me feel like I make a difference.” Natalie feels like moving change for charity to December is not going to help because, “If students don’t participate now, I don’t think they would participate in December either. I feel like we need to get students to be motivated first and then move it to a different day.”

On the other hand, eighth-grader Milagros Quezada said, “I feel like maybe extending it to December or completely moving it would make more students motivated because it would give the more time to collect money and put them in the spirit of giving back.”