U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos paid a visit to schools in Everglades City and Immokalee Friday, where many homes and businesses received substantial damage from Hurricane Irma. It's a situation that has left many parents struggling to make ends meet. DeVos saw first-hand how the schools are helping their students meet basic needs.
At Pinecrest Elementary in Immokalee, DeVos helped distribute snack packs to students that were sent by schools in the Naples area.
"It really is, I think, America at its best, to see the way people respond to individuals in need," DeVos said.
Pinecrest Assistant Principal Christine Gray said that many of the kids' families are having a hard time with the lack of farm work since Irma.
"Citrus crops...we have to wait a whole other year for that to come around, so our families are struggling with the basics," Gray said.
She said most of her students get three meals a day at the school, which has also set up an account on Amazon, where people can donate food items that get shipped right to the school.
"It makes them feel that they know someone's taking care of them, and they're being looked out for," Gray said.
Anyone who wishes to contribute to Pinecrest Elementary School's snack program can visit the Amazon account here. The snacks are distributed to the students every Friday.
