With Thanksgiving coming up next week, one can almost smell the feast that is to come. In order to have every family enjoy Thanksgiving, Interact will conduct their annual food drive.

Students should bring canned foods such as vegetables, boxed stuffing, instant mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce to any
sub-school or the main office Nov. 17-21.

“The food drive is a spectacular opportunity,” Interact secretary Michelle Ma said. “It’s an
opportunity where we can really help one another out.”

Interact, with the help of the culinary arts department, will sort the food donated into piles of what is good and what is bad quality.

Unfortunately, many people donate things that are expired. “A lot of people donate things that they shouldn’t eat and wouldn’t be eating,” culinary arts instructor Cynthia Stowers said. “[That] is wrong. So the culinary kids help to make sure that anything that is going to the families is safe.”

After sorting the food, Interact will estimate the number of families that are unable to have a full Thanksgiving meal and put the food together accordingly. The school social workers distribute the food to the families.

“It is nice to see, even though we don’t know which families the food is going to, a tangible change in our area,” Interact president Angie McCarthy said. “I love that this activity is so personal and can help so many families. It really shows the power of a group of people helping others.”

The Thanksgiving food drive benefits the community greatly and Interact is more than happy to contribute each year.

“I think it is one of the most important things we do all year,” Interact supervisor Emily Wischow said. “I want more people to participate because we all have to take care of each other in the community. That is one of the most important things we can do: to take care of our neighbors.”

Last year, Interact was able to provide Thanksgiving meals for 80 families. This year, they hope to provide food for even more.

“Because we set the bar so high last year, I really hope to exceed that number,” McCarthy said. “Maybe not [only] in how many families we touch, but also how much we give them. This year, I really hope to bring in lots more food than we have in the past.”