The mural in progress at Buena Vista Horace Mann
An unprecedented feat was achieved Thursday evening in the heart of the Mission District. Buena Vista Horace Mann, a K-8 dual language immersion school, began providing overnight shelter at one of their gyms to some of its students and families who have experienced homelessness or housing insecurity.
“We invited in our first guests tonight,” said Principal Claudia Delarios Morán in an email on Thursday night. “I am very happy and proud.”
District 9 Supervisor Hillary Ronen, who represents the Mission District, also released a statement on Thursday that said, “I am honored to have worked closely with Buena Vista Horace Mann over the past many months to support their desire to implement this first-of-a-kind Stay Over Program for housing insecure families at the school.”
The pilot program will be fully operational soon, as the soft launch of the Stay Over Program began yesterday. By the end of the year, the school will host 20 of its students and their families, totaling up to 60 people.