With the holiday season approaching, students will have many opportunities to help those in need within the community.

The annual Thanksgiving Food Drive to Benefit Cornerstones will take place from Nov. 1-Nov. 25.

This event is co-sponsored by the Reston Community Center, the Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce, and Cornerstones, formerly Reston-Interfaith, who all encourage community members to donate non-perishable boxed and canned goods in collection boxes located around Reston.

70 boxes will be placed in about 40 different sites around Reston.

“[70 boxes] is a big jump from previous years,” co-organizer of the food drive Kevin Danaher said.

About 25 out of 40 sites are publicized via print ads in local newspapers and online at the Reston Community Center web site, restoncommunitycenter.org.

Flyers describing what items are needed are attached to the boxes.

According to restoncommunitycenter.org, essential items include macaroni and cheese, boxed potatoes, bagged and boxed rice, couscous, pasta and rice mixes, cereal, coffee, tea, and dry beans.

On Thanksgiving Day, volunteers can come to the Reston Community Center at Hunters Woods to help with separating and packing donations.

Those younger than 16 who want to help up are encouraged to attend the event, which takes place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Volunteers older than 16 may opt to become a leader and must arrive at 9 a.m. Leaders help direct and organize the volunteers as they sort, box, and load the food.

For non-leaders who come to help box and sort the food, this event takes place from 10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.

“Once the food is sorted, it gets packed up into bins and boxes and put back on the truck,” Danaher said. “Then a small group of volunteers follow the truck to the Cornerstones food storage facility where it is unloaded.  The food is distributed by Cornerstones for many months to come to families that are in need in our community.”

While the Cornerstones food drive benefits the entire community for months to come, Interact Club will hold its annual Thanksgiving food drive strictly for Seahawk families in need of a holiday meal.

“This year, we hope to have a surplus of food to make sure that every family receives a special Thanksgiving,” junior Angie McCarthy said.

Last year, the canned food drive was a success. However, it was very difficult for Interact Club to meet its goal.

This year, the club is turning to other outlets in order to spread the word about the drive.

“At the end of last year, we met the full list but just barely,” McCarthy said. “We will plaster the halls and turn to social media in order to make sure that everyone gets the word out to bring cans.”

The donation boxes will be located in all sub schools as well as in the main office.

“We are looking for Thanksgiving items like string beans, boxes of stuffing, and cranberry sauce,” McCarthy said.

In addition to Interact Club’s can collection, Culinary Arts students will prepare a dessert in the classroom kitchen for each Seahawk family in need Nov. 19 and Nov. 21.

“Culinary Arts II students will decide what dessert they’d like our program to prepare,” culinary arts teacher Chef Cynthia Stowers said.

Along with the Culinary Arts students and Interact Club members, school social worker Sue Stemetzki will help raise additional funds. She will also take care of the delivery and pickup of the meals to the family members.

To donate or volunteer, please contact Stemetzki at sustemetzki@fcps.edu.