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McMeen students benefit from Denver Public Schools Bare Necessities clothing drive, Xcel Energy donation

By Anna Alejo

Updated on: May 8, 2024 / 9:53 AM MDT / CBS Colorado

McMeen students benefit from Denver Public Schools Bare Necessities clothing drive

Denver Public Schools is asking businesses and community groups to collect new packages of socks and underwear for students and their families.

Xcel Energy came through with a big donation to McMeen Elementary.

McMeen students volunteer to receive donations for classmates. CBS

With our *McMeen in the Middle" series, we've been following how this Denver school is serving a large group of students -- whose families are newly arrived from the southern border.

The DPS Family and Community Engagement (FACE) team wants to make it easy for people to help.

A McMeen student excitedly receives donations of basic necessities for her classmates. CBS

FACE Community Engagement Manager Amanda Bouche said "We've been hoping for more businesses to participate in our Bare Necessities clothing drive. We're collecting socks and underwear, new packages and we're hoping for businesses to house a box in their building so their employees can donate items and we will coordinate the rest." To contact the FACE office, send an email to: volunteer_services@dpsk12.net

Xcel Energy says its employees were eager to pitch in as many have kids who attend DPS schools and have seen first-hand the need for basic necessities.

Xcel Energy Social Investments Specialist Sarah Kelley said, "This is one thing extra we could to as employees to help our communities that we live in and serve."

Anna Alejo

Anna Alejo is CBS News Colorado's Executive Producer of Community Impact. She works with the news team to develop more grassroots relationships across communities and more original content at the neighborhood level, ensuring diverse voices are represented in programming.