From Wednesday, November 12, to Thursday, November 20, students are encouraged to give back to the community with the Food for Life food drive. This food drive, hosted by the Positive School Culture club, Girls in Action, National Honor Society, Find Kind club, and Key club, is being directed to the Food for Life Ministry. Actions like this help support the community, especially with the holiday season right around the corner. 

Food insecurity plagues millions of American families today, which is even more prominent in the wintertime. Food drives like this help families live without worrying about affording food, allowing them to celebrate holidays without the struggles of everyday life. 

“I think it’s important to have food drives like this one because, especially in the holiday season. It’s nice to help those out who don’t have food to help promote the message of giving,” Stacy Chowtham (10) said.

This food drive was hosted by five of Ayala’s clubs, all of which promote kindness and togetherness, asking for non-perishable goods in exchange for service hours for their members. These clubs recognize that they wouldn’t have been able to put it on alone, but rather it was a group effort to help support the community. 

“We decided to collaborate to show that a united effort is required in order to address a community issue and not something that one individual can solve,” Cayden Wong (12), President of Find Kind club, said, “Collaborating with different clubs brings more people and ideas which strengthens our school community by reminding everyone that we can achieve much more as a group rather than alone.”

These food drives also show the true meaning and values of the clubs that are putting them on. The ideas of togetherness and inclusiveness are the main goals of these clubs, allowing members to truly make a difference in and outside of school.

“This food drive resonates deeply with the core values of Find Kind as a club because our club is all about creating a culture of empathy, inclusion, and kindness,” Wong said. “By taking part in this initiative, Find Kind demonstrates that kindness is a contagious and powerful essence that can bring people together for a meaningful cause.”

Even those who are not in these clubs are encouraged to donate to help support their communities. Most people don’t realize how many underprivileged people there are and how close they are to our own communities, so supporting those people will help share the importance of supporting one another in times of need. 

“We wanted students to have the opportunity to provide to people in need, and the hope is that they can support communities at this age so that later in life, when there are more opportunities, they can donate to those causes as well,” Assistant Principal Mr. Nicholas Hale said. 

The spirit of giving is present throughout the holiday season, and through the support of these clubs, students are encouraged to do the same. This food drive is active until November 20, so don’t forget to donate any non-perishable goods. 

“The holiday season brings families together, and food drives ensure that members of that family are provided the food necessary to enjoy time together rather than worrying about if the food is able to come in,” Hale said.