Looking to earn his Eagle Scout honor, Justin wanted to find a project that could help the community.
With encouragement from his mother, Kris, Justin reached out to United Way of Treasure Valley to help him take on an ambitious goal: Assemble 750-1,000 hygiene kits for local homeless youth.
Recent school data show there are approximately 4,500 homeless students in the Treasure Valley. Throughout the past two years, United Way, along with several volunteers, has collected hygiene items, such as soap, shampoo, toothpaste and feminine items, and assembled the items into hygiene kits—backpacks containing one-month supplies to help homeless students stay clean and fit in at school.
To collect the items for Justin’s service project, Radio Rancho, a local Hispanic radio station company and United Way partner, solicited donations through its listenership.
Justin, an eighth-grader at West Junior High in Boise who has been involved with the Boy Scouts for more than six years, rallied dozens of volunteers to assemble nearly 1,000 kits, which were delivered to homeless liaison offices across the Treasure Valley.
“I really felt like I helped people and helped make a difference,” said Justin, whose father Mike earned his Eagle Scout honor during his youth.
In addition to earning the title of Eagle Scout, Justin received letters from U.S. Senators, Representatives and Idaho Gov. Otter, congratulating him on his efforts to serve others.