In celebration of Thanksgiving, Congressman Scott Peters donated fifty grocery store gift cards to provide meals for 50 students enrolled in San Diego Continuing Education’s (SDCE’s) Gateway to College and Career program in need of a holiday dinner.

SDCE’s Gateway to College and Career for Opportunity Youth is one of the only programs of its kind in San Diego and one of few nationwide that provides paid internships, career workshops, employment assistance, and a college scholarship for young adults 18-24. Students come from low-income families and face barriers with food, housing, and social and emotional support.

“Almost our entire student body is combating some sort of basic need,” said SDCE President Carlos Osvaldo Turner Cortez, Ph.D. “We truly appreciate the kindness of Congressman Scott Peters for bringing the holidays to our students.”

Usually, students are invited back to campus to participate in a turkey distribution but due to the pandemic students will receive their gift card by mail and a special letter from Congressman Peters, which reads, “We are extremely impressed by your dedication during this pandemic in which you have taken the steps to learn and continue your program remotely.”

Last year, Representative Peters catered a traditional thanksgiving meal held at SDCE. Gateway students and their families attended the community feast and his staff helped serve the meal and visited with the students and their families.

Congressman Peters serves California’s 52nd Congressional district, which includes the cities of Coronado, Poway, and most of northern San Diego. First elected in 2012, he currently serves on the House Committee on the Budget and the House Energy and Commerce Committee, where he advocates for investment in basic scientific research, supports the military’s goals to enhance their energy security and fights for commonsense healthcare reforms that work for families and small business owners.