Central Catholic students collect more than 6,000 food donations
The Repository
CANTON − Central Catholic High School's 315 students recently collected more than 6,000 donations of nonperishable goods to benefit local food banks.
Area food banks are reporting a growing demand for help this holiday season and with inflation concerns, donations are below average.
The effort stemmed from Central Catholic's annual Thanksgiving Food Drive. It has become a tradition for students to challenge other classes to “outgive” one another, keeping track of donations and collecting totals to see which first-period classes bring in the most non-perishable food items.
This year, students challenged one another to give more than ever before due to needs in the Akron-Canton community.
This year, students presented their donations to Catholic Charities to disperse as needed in the community.
Rose and Bryant Bartolone, Central Catholic graduates from the class of 1985, and volunteers for Catholic Charities visited the high school to help the Crusaders load a trunk with their donations.
The food drive is one of the many ways Central Catholic students try to give back to the community. The school also participates in Adopt-A-Family, a spring food drive, and completes more than 15,000 hours of service, collectively each year.