This holiday season, CCHS is getting into the giving spirit by continuing the annual Harvest Drive to help local families in need. Up until November 7, CCHS will be collecting nonperishable items, including food and other necessities, through personalization classes.
“Harvest Drive is important because you are giving back to the people who are in need,” Key Club President Karla Jimenez said. “This way, when you sit at the Thanksgiving table you know that you helped make it possible for another family to sit and enjoy their meal as well.”
CCHS and other Broward County Schools have partnered with Harvest Drive Inc., the nonprofit organization that organizes the collection and distribution of the food and supplies. Harvest Drive Inc. was founded in 1992 in order to bring communities together to help underprivileged families around Thanksgiving.
“When my children were little, I felt they needed to give back on Thanksgiving,” founder and President Renee Herman said. “I felt there were people in need, and now this has grown into this big organization with involvement from the community, the schools and the students. This is such a positive experience because families in need are receiving these groceries and the children are learning the lesson of giving back. It’s about children helping children.”
Cooper City is one of 15 Broward County Public Schools to contribute to feeding 2300 families yearly through the Harvest Drive. This year, CCHS is aiming to collect enough items to brighten up the holidays for 150 families in Broward County, 35 of which are affiliated with CCHS.
If enough supplies are collected, each family connected with the Harvest Drive will receive a week’s worth of groceries and household items, as well as the materials to make a Thanksgiving feast. Students are asked to bring in any items that they can afford in order to make this goal a reality.
Although students are welcome to bring in any unopened, nonperishable items that they would like, a Harvest Drive Needs List was passed out to students. This list includes food items such as packs of cookies, canned gravy, stuffing and sweet potatoes. It also includes basic needs items such as toothpaste, deodorant and shampoo.
In the next week, personalization teachers will choose two student volunteers to be “Harvest Drive Altruism Ambassadors.” These students will assist teachers and other students with collection efforts. Students and parents also have the option of making donations through Assistant Principal Vera Perkovic, who can be contacted at 754-323-0252 or through her email at [email protected].
