By Allana J. Barefield
Staff Writer
When it’s time to go to college, packing can be stressful. The big question is “what items should you pack?” For Oak Cliff native, Adan Gonzalez, he brought the items but no suitcase. Nine years ago he arrived on Georgetown University’s campus in Washington, D.C. with his belongings in trash bags. He said he remembers going to the airport and not having the money to pay the overweight fees. The airport employee handed him a plastic bag to take out items and he started stuffing the bag. Gonzalez realized at that moment that many new college students are probably in the same predicament, where families barely have a lot of money for paying tuition and traveling out of state.
The following year, he started a nonprofit, Puede Network. Since organizing the nonprofit, he has helped 1,200 students receive luggage. On their website, it says “Puede Network works to cultivate and prepare America’s students to be candidates for scholarships, fellowships, higher academic pursuits, and inspires them to develop into servant leaders and community stewards.” For More Info: puedenetwork.com
