Ms. Santos is a backbone of the Palmer community, but so few people know who she is and what she provides, whether it is to get her help or to show their gratitude.
Carla Santos, Palmer’s community liaison, is dedicated to serving the community. “My job is to provide resources for low-income families and homeless families,” she says. “I help anybody that needs assistance, so students, families and staff.”
All the resources that she provides are supplied by generous members of the community such as Palmer staff members and various local organizations and charities. “The district does not provide any funding, so I have to go out into the community.” Her donors provide food, clothing, hygiene supplies, and school supplies. The organizations she mentioned include New Life Downtown, Christmas Unlimited, Be the Good in the World, and Bombas.
Resources Ms. Santos collect go to the Eaglebeak Exchange. The Exchange is a program that she created to help meet the needs of students at Palmer.
Ms. Santos hopes that her work will help alleviate students’ worries about access to resources so they can shift their focus to schoolwork. “I want to make sure everyone can focus on their education and better their future,” she shares. “I’ve seen kids be able to graduate. Overall, the kids can go to school and do better.”
Despite her incredible success in the past few years, her job is beginning to become more difficult. Student needs have become greater than what she is able to supply. She blames this on the current food stamp shortage. “There is a huge need for food right now and hygiene products.”
Even with the current struggle, Ms. Santos knows it is all worth it because of the impact she has on students’ lives. “My job is hard in getting the resources but getting the help for kids who know there are resources saves struggling parents.”
“The most rewarding part is when I get to see a smile on the kid’s face, and being told that they’re happy I’m here, that they didn’t know that there were all these resources here.”
For any student that needs the services Ms. Santos provides, her door is always open. They can also reach her by email, through a teacher or counselor, or simply leave a note.
For anyone interested in donating resources to her, specifically hygiene supplies, or any clubs who would like a do a drive should contact her at [email protected].
