www.insidehalton.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Friday, November 24, 2017 | 12 GivingTuesday November 28, 2017 GIVING TUESDAY GIVING TU Giving T Hide and Seek Isn't Always Fun. Poverty hides in plain sight. Just because you can't see it, doesn't mean it isn't there. Last year, the Halton Learning Foundation provided financial support to over 1,200 students in our community whose parents or caregivers could not afford basic necessities like clothing, glasses or school supplies. With your help, kids can get what they need so they can focus on what's important: their education. presented by GIVING Giving TUESDAYTuesday GIVING TUESDAY Ensuring no student is left behind Halton Learning Foundation "We have a little pumpkin in Kindergarten who is coming to school hungry." So began the email from the principal at Max's school; the six-year-old was coming to class with no lunch and no breakfast. When the principal called Max's mom, she broke down and admitted she was struggling to put food on the table due to the high cost of rent. Unfortunately, there are many six-year-olds in Halton like Max who come to school without food. There are 10-year-olds who are kept home from class on cold days because they don't have a warm coat or boots. There are 16-year-old students in our community struggling to live on their own because it's unsafe for them to remain at their parents' home. These are just some of the more than 6,500 students of the Halton District School Board who face financial barriers to their education. Fortunately, when principals like Max's need help for their vulnerable students, they can turn to the Halton Learning Foundation (HLF). HLF provides immediate financial support to ensure students have the basics they need to stay in school and focused on learning. "When kids are hungry or they don't have the proper clothing to participate in school activities, it's very difficult for them to fit in or to concentrate on class," says Lesley Mansfield, executive director of HLF. "We provide a helping hand to students and their families to ensure kids can remain in school and feel included in their education." Earlier this year HLF purchased a bicycle for a student living in a part of Halton that has no public transportation. The student had previously dropped out of school, but had come back to class fully committed to learning. "Transportation was a barrier to this student's education, because his parents didn't have a car and it was too far for him to walk," said Mansfield. "A $150 bicycle was the difference between this student continuing to come to school and remaining engaged in learning, versus potentially dropping out for good." Requests for support are up more than 40 per cent over this time last year, so HLF needs the community's support to continue saying "yes" to students. To help, please visit helphlf.ca. Visit www.helphlf.ca or call 905-335-3665, ext. 3388 A $25 gift will provide a student with the basic school supplies they need to learn.