NMS Students Collecting For WIN’s Thanksgiving Baskets

By Eliza Hallabeck

Newtown Middle School’s Student Council is collecting food to donate to Women Involved in Newtown’s (WIN) yearly Thanksgiving Baskets campaign, but with school cancelled last week due to Superstorm Sandy, the group is a week behind schedule and in need of donations before its November 16 deadline.

NMS Student Council advisors Nadia Papalia and Tina Broccolo said donations from community members for the food drive are welcome and can be dropped off at the school’s main lobby during school hours.

Assorted nonperishables have already been piling up at the school since October 26, when the collection began, but any effort the community can make to help give to the drive would be appreciated, said both Ms Papalia and Ms Broccolo.

On Friday, November 16, members of WIN will stop at the school to pick up all collected items to donate to its Thanksgiving Baskets program. WIN’s Mandy Monaco said Middle Gate Elementary School and Sandy Hook Elementary School are also working to collect items for the group’s Thanksgiving Baskets program.

According to WIN, the Thanksgiving Baskets program is a townwide drive to provide local families food to last from Thanksgiving into the holiday season. Social Services compiles a list of families in need in the Newtown area, which is kept confidential, and WIN matches participating organizations with a family or donations are matched with a family’s need.

Ms Monaco said WIN is working to support more than 70 local families this year, and the group needs everything. WIN supplies butter, milk, eggs, and bread for the cause, but, Ms Monaco said, everything else is in need, including turkeys. Cleaning products and hygiene products, like shampoo and tooth paste, are also in large demand this year. However, NMS can collect nonperishable food and hygiene products only, and people donating to the school’s collection are asked to only contribute those items.

Anyone interested in donating to the middle school’s collection is asked to drop off donations at the school’s main lobby before November 16. Parents with middle school students can also send food in to the school with their children.

Everyone donating to the drive is asked to check expirations dates.

Cyndy DaSilva and Ms Monaco are co-chairing the Thanksgiving Basket program for WIN.

Ms Monaco said a drop-off location has also been set up at Berkshire Motors, 25 Berkshire Road in Sandy Hook. for people who may not be able to drop off items at the middle school.

Additional information and pickups for large donations can be arranged by calling Mrs Monaco at 203-426-5600.