Giving back to community goal of districtwide food donation drive

Story and Photo by Alice Gerard

Senior Contributing Writer

Both students and teachers agreed that giving back and supporting neighbors were their motivations as they put together donation bags for the Neighbors Foundation on Dec. 13 in the gym at Sidway Elementary School.

The process of collecting donations, including nonperishable food, money and gift cards, involved the entire school community, said Carley Antonelli, a teacher at Veronica Connor Middle School.

“We have a great turnout this year,” Antonelli said. “We have students from the middle school and the high school here, helping to sort the foods that will be distributed to about 100 families later this afternoon and this evening. It was really a group effort to collect all of this food. High school student council, Interact club and DECA have gone shopping and have held different service projects. The middle school Interact club had their food drive and ran the VIP shopping trips, in conjunction with Sidway this year, where we shopped for close to $10,000 worth of food. There were 118 kids shopping at Tops on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving.”

The food drive was a districtwide effort that involved students, faculty and staff, Antonelli said.

“Huth Road (Elementary School) took over the ‘Elementary Turkey Trot’ this year and held a wonderful food drive, as well,” she noted. “Our building and grounds crew has been wonderful in helping to pack and load and box all the food and move it for us. Transportation was great in adjusting from our snow day yesterday and helping the shopping trips. We have a lot of people saving us boxes and helping to load. It’s really been a group effort to make this happen.”

MaryLis Rustowicz, who teaches history and economics at Grand Island High School, said, “This is my third year doing this as a teacher. It’s that same feeling, that same atmosphere that we’re creating of just trying to be thankful during this holiday season and doing everything for others, instead of just for ourselves.”

Student council President Maddie McGowan said, “I feel it’s great. I love to have a chance to give back to my community and help out all my neighbors on the Island to build a better community for us. The student council posted a lot about the food drive on social media. We got it out to our students, faculty and staff. Everything that we provided from the school goes to the Neighbors Foundation to help our neighbors in need on the Island.”

Rustowicz, co-adviser to the student council with Bob Simpson, talked about how she prepared her students for the field trip. She mentioned the food insecurity that exists in every community.

“Not everybody knows that, especially when you’re in high school. It’s very eye-opening, as well,” she said. “But I feel lucky to be here. I love this field trip every single year. I love that the kids are having fun. They’re shopping for families right now and looking for what they would like as a baby or as a kid. This is a very thankful day, a very important day. It is one of the most important days for them.

“This week, we set it up (in economics class) so we would be teaching poverty through this can drive and focusing on the fact that, as a community, we are also able and have the opportunity to help those living in poverty. A great way is through this and through Dr. Graham’s toy drive. I think teaching it during this time, simultaneously with this event, was really beneficial because the kids got to see it first-hand. It wasn’t something that was not familiar to them. That was really great. I liked doing that.”

There were also contests to encourage even more participation in the food drive.

“We hosted a competition between all our first-period classes, and whoever brought the most cans in for their first period wins a breakfast for their class,” Maddie McGowan explained. “Among individual students, whoever brought in the most cans wins an Amazon gift card. It was a little friendly competition,”

Rustowicz said “Student council, Interact and DECA all came together. How we did it was through a homeroom contest. Every first period class went against each other. Our winning class had over 400 items brought in. So, we set incentives. We set that they were winning a breakfast party that final Friday before break.

“But more than just focusing on the incentive of it, we wanted to make sure the kids really understood the reasons as to why we are doing this. I feel that, this year, they really grasped that concept. You can see there’s tons of donations in there. Especially the seniors. We focused as to how they can be strong citizens in the world so they can do their civic duty when they graduate from high school. This is the way that we really emphasize the importance of that and focus on why we do that.”

Neighbors Foundation President Dave Conboy said he is grateful for the support the community has provided: “It’s so heartwarming to see all of the volunteers in the community who are willing to spend their time, energy and resources being a part of something bigger than themselves to help those who find themselves in an unfortunate situation during this holiday season. I love the fact that schools help us with this.

“We couldn’t do it without the support of Brian Graham and Mike Antonelli and Carley Antonelli and MaryLis Rustowicz and all the teachers, administrators and students. Also, the parents who support this by providing donations of nonperishable goods, dollars, gift cards. All of that is so important, not only from the schools, but from the community with contributions large and small from individuals, businesses and organizations that have put barrels out in the community for people to drop things off. It is heartwarming to see everybody providing assistance all year round to people who need it. It’s really heartwarming, but especially during the holiday season.”

The need for food assistance has grown, Conboy said.

“I think part of it is we are doing a better job in getting the word out with the resources that are available,” he said. “I think the other part that is really important is we are an all-volunteer organization and people trust us. We are able to help them confidentially when they need it. It’s heartwarming both to see the volunteers and their conversations, but also, it’s the most challenging time in their lives. And the price of food keeps going up. We know we can’t provide all the assistance for an individual, but if we can help supplement, we absolutely want to do that.”

For students and teachers, this event is meaningful.

“I grew up on the Island,” Rustowicz said. “I feel that I’ve really been pushing it with my classes. I understand that the Island is unique. We are our own little community. I talked to a few kids today and they said they feel it’s so special. It’s personal to them because it is all families on the Island. I think just that they know it’s going to their neighbors, just because they know it’s going to other people in their school. They really enjoy it, and somebody told me they are proud to be here today. They are really excited. This is more than just a field trip day to them.”

Rustowicz said she was thankful for the “Neighbors Foundation for all of the behind-the-scenes work. They’re doing work all year long, not just now. We’re lucky to have them on the Island. And the kids. The seniors really stepped up this year. Just everybody. Everybody who is here right now. I am really thankful for them.”

Maddie McGowan said. “I’d like to thank everybody that helped out and brought back to our community.”

Conboy said he felt grateful for having media share the Neighbors Foundation’s message. “I just wanted to add we couldn’t do what we want to do as effectively without the publications and social media, so we really want to thank the Island Dispatch, now the Tribune/Sentinel, and those who read that; and Alice, for the great work that you do; and Isledegrande and others who promote and share things that are happening positively on the Island.”

Students from Veronica Connor Middle School and Grand Island High School, along with teachers, put together donation bags for the Neighbors Foundation to distribute to Island families.