NORWICH, Conn. — Many students whose families are affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and economic crisis are in need of food during this difficult time. As a way to give back to children and families in need,
Norwich Free Academy volunteers recently collected donations at a food and toy drive. The NFA Athletic department organized the drive to support the Tommy Toy Fund.
Coaches and students collected presents and food from citizens as they drove into the parking lot. These donations will head to the NFA food pantry, which is run by the NFA Diversity Department, to support students whose families have lost jobs or are struggling to purchase meals. Between fifty and sixty families receive food assistance weekly.
Project Outreach is a volunteer organization comprising 37 student-coordinators who lead service projects to support community issues. Students are spreading awareness about food insecurity by organizing food drives and fundraisers. In previous years, students have donated pies to St. Vincent de Paul Soup Kitchen and served Thanksgiving community meals.
Although this year’s volunteering opportunities were limited, students found creative ways to serve their community by collecting donations. At the food drive, students held signs to encourage people to donate, collected boxes of food as it arrived from the cars, and stored the food in the pantry after the drive.