Belen High Student Council Runs Annual Giving Tree Drive
Belen High School Student Council launched its annual Giving Tree charitable drive on Dec. 2, 2025, collecting donations to support local families through the holiday season. The effort mobilized student volunteers to coordinate donations, and organizers announced drop off times and locations with an expected distribution before the holidays.
On Dec. 2, 2025, the Belen High School Student Council launched its annual Giving Tree drive, renewing a community tradition aimed at getting gifts and essentials to Valencia County families in need during the holiday season. The program gathered contributions from students, families and community members, then routed those items through a student volunteer network for sorting, packaging and eventual distribution.
Organizers provided scheduled drop off times and multiple local locations for donations to make participation convenient for residents, and the council outlined an expected distribution plan designed to get goods to households prior to the holidays. Student volunteers took primary responsibility for collecting and organizing contributions, working with school staff to track items and prepare families packages for delivery or pickup. The drive served both as an aid distribution and as experiential education in logistics and community service for participating students.
The Giving Tree drive matters for local residents because it supplements other forms of assistance during a period of heightened need. Holiday season household budgets are often tight, and community organized drives can provide immediate relief for essentials and gifts that are not covered by official benefit programs. For Valencia County, local charity efforts help bridge gaps in a patchwork safety net and reduce pressure on municipal social services in the short term.
Beyond immediate relief, the drive has longer term implications for civic capacity and volunteer engagement. Student involvement builds local social capital while providing practical skills in organization and outreach. Repeated annual efforts also create predictable channels of support that nonprofits and schools can incorporate into their planning calendars, improving efficiency of distribution in future years.
Residents seeking to support similar efforts are encouraged to look for posted drop off schedules and locations from Belen High School and to consider donating new, unused items or gift cards that fit the program guidelines. The council plans to complete distributions before the end of the holiday period, ensuring families receive assistance when it is most needed.
