WEST ORANGE, NJ — As Thanksgiving approaches, public schools across West Orange have been collecting non-perishable food items to be distributed to needy families.
The township collects the donations from the schools and volunteers — in an initiative spearheaded by Social Services Director Patti Duffy — box an entire Thanksgiving meal, including a turkey and all the trimmings. Families are identified by the township and the boxes are delivered by Nov. 21. The effort is part of the Mayor’s Sunshine Fund outreach.
Any remaining donations are then delivered to the Holy Trinity-West Orange Food Pantry, which also provide turkeys and trimmings in November in addition to regular distribution.
“Most people don’t realize that hunger is an issue, even in West Orange,” food pantry administrator Cynthia Cumming said, “but by our estimates two students in any West Orange classroom may not know if they are getting three meals on a given day.”
Students in English language arts teacher Jay Wecht’s seventh-grade advisory at Roosevelt Middle School collected several boxes of food and were enthusiastic about helping out
“The Mayor’s Food Drive has a long and proud history at Roosevelt Middle School and this year was no exception,” Wecht said, adding that several hundred boxes and cans of food were collected by the seventh- and eighth-grade students.
“The students participate with great enthusiasm not just because they know it’s the right thing to do, but they especially like the fact that all the food goes to families in need right in West Orange and that there will be a good number of their own neighbors who will have an even happier Thanksgiving due to their efforts and generosity,” Wecht continued. “The food drive is orchestrated by Roosevelt’s Junior Interact Club and will always hold a special place in the hearts of the students.”
Photos Courtesy of WOSD
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