Salk Middle School’s leadership class hosted an event called Be a Contributing Citizen on May 25. Prior to this event, students researched, phone interviewed and visited various Spokane nonprofit organizations. Through their research, students discovered the organizations’ current greatest need as well as the stories of the people they serve.

On May 25, during both lunches, these leadership students displayed their research and collected 1,082 donated items from the Salk community. Some groups focused on bringing awareness to their organization and distributed more than 100 fliers.

The organizations represented were Kira’s Kloset, Vanessa Behan Crisis Nursery, Union Gospel Mission, St. Margaret’s Shelter, Children’s Alliance, Spokane Humane Society, SpokAnimal, Olive Crest, Shalom Ministries, Anna Ogden Hall, Hearth Homes, The American Red Cross, Hospice of Spokane, SNAP, Crosswalk and Christ Kitchen.

“Doing this nonprofit project has opened my eyes, and it has taught me that there are people without homes and food or anything. I was happy to be able to make a difference in someone’s life,” said eighth-grader Bailey Dickinson.