LAUGHLIN / BULLHEAD CITY –Christmas will be a little brighter – and filling – for more than seven dozenstudents and their families in the Bullhead City and Colorado River Union High School Districts after the second large food donation in a month by the Aquarius and Edgewater Casino Resorts’ “Feed A Family” program.

​Eighty–five pre-cooked hams with side dishes anddesserts were provided by “Feed A Family,” a collaborative effort of Aquarius and Edgewater players donating their points, as well as community and employee contributions.  

​BCSD received 40 “Feed A Family” Christmas meals, while CRUHSD received 45.

​“Feed A Family” combines Aquarius and Edgewater Players True Rewards™ points contributed by card members with cash and credit contributions to provide food for families in need.  This year’s program had additional contributions from the Laughlin Chamber of Commerce’s annual “Jingle & Mingle Christmas Mixer,” as well as a grant from the Mohave Sunrise Rotary Club.  Besides the BCSD and CRUHSD homeless students, other area food banks and non-profit agencies received “Feed A Family” meals for both Christmas and Thanksgiving.

​Student homelessness is defined in the federal McKinney–Vento Homeless Assistance Act of 1987, enacted by Congress and signed by Pres. Ronald Reagan. At any given time, 50 to 200 students can be homeless between BCSD and CRUHSD, as many families have children enrolled in both districts.  BCSD ended the fall semester this month with 95 legally homeless students, up four from several weeks earlier.

“Feed a Family” is assisting more than one dozen non-profit and charitable programs, food banks and organizations this year with hundreds of meals.  

BCSD has launched a food pantry to help homeless students during Christmas vacation when school meals are not available.  The district is continuing to accept cash donations for additional meals for homeless students, plus new and gently used clothing, both during the holidays and for ongoing needs.  Additional information is available from BCSD parent liaison Sheree Norris at 928-758-3961, x-1026.

Main photo: from left (front row): Elizabeth Lara and Sheree Norris, CRUHSD and BCSD parent/homeless liaisons; (back row) Aquarius and Edgewater employeesVeronica Mata (EVS/housekeeping), Christy Fredericks(executive casino host), Cyndi McAdams (executive administrative assistant to the general manager), Kari Hilland Carol Blossom (executive casino hosts), David Grant(receiving), John Hylton (entertainment manager), Janet Gagnon (executive administrative assistant) and Tracy Silvers (director of player development)