Caltrans Hygiene Heroes: A Celebration Supporting Oakland Students
By Eric Steckel | November 26, 2024
Caltrans and Children Rising Unite to Provide Essential Hygiene Supplies, Supporting Health and Learning for Oakland Students.
Through Hygiene Heroes, Caltrans employees stepped up, donating much-needed items like paper towels, Kleenex, Lysol wipes, and hand sanitizer.
This fall, the back-to-school drive—Hygiene Heroes—embodied the spirit of community and equity in Oakland. Children Rising and Caltrans District 4 partnered to provide essential hygiene supplies to Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary School, ensuring students could return to school healthy, confident, and ready to learn.
The initiative was led by Andrea Pugh, Caltrans District 4 Equity Program Manager, and Margena Wade Green, Path2Math Program Director—two longtime collaborators dedicated to creating equitable opportunities for children and families in the East Bay.
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When you give to our Fall Matching Appeal, you will DOUBLE your impact. Thanks to the generous support of a few committed supporters, your gift before December 31st will be matched.
Will you please make a gift today?
From August 14 to September 10, Caltrans employees stepped up, donating much-needed items like paper towels, Kleenex, Lysol wipes, and hand sanitizer. These supplies, critical for maintaining health and well-being, were delivered to the school on September 25 in a heartwarming celebration.
“Hygiene Heroes underscored the value of partnerships, the impact of direct support, and the need to remove barriers to enhance the well-being of our communities.” – Andrea Pugh, Caltrans District 4 Equity Program Manager
The event wasn’t just about donations; it was about connection. Caltrans mascot Safety Sam and transportation safety experts engaged students with a lively presentation, promoting health and safety in a way that was both fun and educational. “The kids loved taking pictures with Safety Sam,” shared one volunteer.
Hygiene Heroes was also about connection. Caltrans mascot Safety Sam and transportation safety experts engaged students with a lively presentation, promoting health and safety in a way that was both fun and educational.
Nicholas Fowlks, Caltrans District 4 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Liaison, reflected on the impact: “The Hygiene Heroes initiative emphasizes that providing direct support is a critical stepping stone to building trust with the communities we serve. By focusing on tangible actions and engagement, events like these highlight ways to make a positive impact and foster stronger, more respectful relationships with our communities.”
Supporting Oakland Students’ Safety and Health
For Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary School, this drive made a significant difference. Principal Roma Groves Waters expressed her gratitude: “Hygiene products are critical to keeping the children safe and healthy while they are here to learn. If they are sick and unable to attend school, they can’t learn. We are so grateful for Caltrans and Children Rising for making this possible.”
Thanks to Hygiene Heroes, students could return to school healthy, confident, and ready to learn.
Through initiatives like Hygiene Heroes, Caltrans, and Children Rising are addressing systemic disparities and fostering vibrant communities. As Andrea Pugh emphasized, “This event underscored the value of partnerships, trust-building, and addressing holistic needs to enhance the well-being of our communities.”
A heartfelt thank-you to Caltrans employees for being true Hygiene Heroes for Oakland students!
