Round Rock ISD students introduce not-for-profit to relieve homelessness

ROUND ROCK, Texas (KXAN) - - With hundreds of trainees experiencing homelessness within Round Rock ISD, a brand-new student-led not-for-profit is working to aid those students with access to food, clothing, self-care kits and other vital resources.

Jishnu Saani and Andrew Vu are trainees at Round Rock High School and two of the creators behind Project Red. The company at first began in the after-effects of the winter season storms earlier this year, introduced as a food drive and warm winter season clothing collection.

From there, the group gotten in touch with Round Rock ISD's Families in Transition (FiT), a district-led program that assists district students and their families navigate homelessness. Old Town, Teravista and Fern Bluff primary schools supported the organization's food drive efforts.

It was those partnerships, Vu and Saani each stated, that assisted them understand they wished to expand their efforts beyond the immediate aftermath of the winter storm.

" We saw this as an opportunity to connect with FiT and to base our task with FiT also to assist these families out-- not even if of a winter storm, but because of a bigger, incorporating issue of homelessness in the schools," Vu said.

(Courtesy: Project Red)

Jishnu Saani and Andrew Vu are students at Round Rock High School and two of the founders behind Project Red, a Round Rock ISD not-for-profit aimed at reducing trainee homelessness. (Courtesy: Project Red)

Jishnu Saani and Andrew Vu are trainees at Round Rock High School and 2 of the creators behind Project Red, a Round Rock ISD nonprofit intended at cutting trainee homelessness. (Courtesy: Project Red)

Jishnu Saani and Andrew Vu are students at Round Rock High School and two of the founders behind Project Red, a Round Rock ISD not-for-profit aimed at cutting trainee homelessness.

As of November, RRISD officials said more than 700 district students are categorized as experiencing homelessness. That classification consists of students residing in the foster care system, on the streets, with friend or family or living in their vehicle, Saani and Vu said.

With this comes severe sensitivity, each stated, a scenario causing an added struggle for trainees on top of their academics.

" Helping homeless kids is a very uphill struggle; it's a sensitive issue," Saani stated, including: "Kids have a lot potential in making an impact in their community. And we really like to desire show that in our own company."

Addressing that sensitivity includes being mindful of gathering resources that both benefit students, while not outing their monetary status. That includes things like Nike-branded knapsacks or Converses that don't outwardly speak with the student's financial scenario.

Together with its food and clothes drives, donations to Project Red help fund initiatives like the organization's emergency treatment and hygiene kits for trainees. They've also worked to disperse and acquire gift cards individuals can use to buy necessities.

Both Saani and Vu stated their hope is they can expand Project Red's network with more volunteers to spearhead community projects down the roadway.

" We're not just trying to assist these disadvantaged kids: We're likewise attempting to make certain that our volunteers get a clearer understanding of the problem they're facing or that they're attempting to deal with at hand," Saani said. "It's not just the people we're assisting, it's likewise the volunteers and making sure they get that experience, they get that awareness and that our next generation is more informed when handling such concerns."

More information on Project Red is offered online and on Instagram. For contributions or volunteer opportunities, email info@theprojectred.org.