The COVID-19 pandemic has created unprecedented issues in our society. Beyond the obvious spread of the illness itself, it has created problems of isolation, loneliness, lost income and halted school programs. Many of our Progressions students are forced to stay home with less supervision by their parents, who must continue to work partial or full schedules. So when our partner Urban Community asked us to help with its SHIP Kits project, we jumped at the chance. SHIP Kits (Shelter-in-Place Kits) provide medical, nutritional, and emotional support for Santa Clara County families whose livelihoods have been negatively impacted by the statewide Shelter in Place mandate. SJZ joined many other San Jose nonprofits and community members to provide useful items for the kits. SJZ sought to help address the emotional and educational needs of our students, and we called on Progressions initiative funder the Ella Fitzgerald Charitable Foundation to help. The Foundation supplied 2,600 new children’s books and crayon sets to provide activities for youngsters. On Thursday, April 23, SJZ staff members used our mobile Boombox Truck to deliver a truck load of SHIP Kits to Santee Elementary School in San Jose, one of our Progressions initiative sites, where the packages were distributed to local families. The timing couldn’t have been more perfect, as Saturday, April 25 was Ella Fitzgerald’s birthday. We think she’d be delighted that her Foundation is bringing beauty, fun, and learning to San Jose kids. If you’d like to learn more about the great work of the Ella Fitzgerald Charitable Foundation, follow their Facebook page. If you’d like to join SJZ in helping provide SHIP Kits to more San Jose citizens, visit the SHIP Kits website.