This year, Homecoming was about more than class rivalry and school spirit—it was about giving back to the community.

With every Homecoming, the money raised from Jar Wars is donated by the Youth Community Service organization (YCS). To encourage student participation, the Student Executive Council and Student Activities Director Lisa Hall decided that Jars Wars should be worth more points than it had in previous years.

The tactic worked. “It was a really big success this year,” junior Community Service Chair Leah Rosengaus said. “I assume we will do it the same way next year.”

Jar Wars raised approximately $4,000 this year, and including the money raised from selling night rally tickets, Gunn donated approximately $7,000 to charity. “I suggested organizations such as Doctors without Borders or the World Water Organization,” Rosengaus said. “But I think [YCS] wanted to do something more local.”

YCS advisor Diane Ichikawa agrees. “We will be donating the money raised through Jar Wars to InnVision,” Ichikawa said.

According to its website, InnVision is “dedicated to empowering homeless and at-risk families and individuals in finding the way home.”

The San Jose based non-profit provides inn-like shelters, transitional housing and multi-service centers for these individuals.

InnVision consists of four main programs. The Mental Health Division “provides the mentally ill homeless with the only dedicated facility in Northern California”.

The Men’s Division provides sober housing for homeless men. The Women and Families Division provides a variety of programs such as abuse counseling, childcare and job training to homeless and at risk women and their families.

The last program is the Urban Ministry in Palo Alto, which merged with InnVision in March of 2002. The Urban Ministry provides food, shelter, clothing and many other resources to the homeless of Palo Alto.

Many students donated to Jar Wars simply to help their class win points for Homecoming, but by doing so, they were unwittingly helping change the lives of homeless and at risk individuals in Silicon Valley.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For more informationon InnVision, visit innvision.org.