Newtown Middle School’s Student Council is gearing up for its 2015 Student Council Food Drive.

The group collects items each year for Women Involved in Newtown (WIN) and its annual Thanksgiving Baskets campaign. Other local schools also collect for the campaign.

On Monday, September 28, the council members briefly discussed the upcoming collection, before another meeting on Monday, October 12, will really set the collection for the middle school.

Items will be collected at NMS this year from October 16 to November 20.

Students may bring in items to their homeroom each morning during the food drive, and the public can drop off donation items at the school’s main office weekdays. A food drive collection bin will also be placed in the school’s lobby for family members to use.

According to a Student Council newsletter, 40 boxes filled with nonperishable items were collected for last year’s campaign at NMS. Items included cereal, canned soup/fruits/vegetables, peanut butter, jelly, pasta, sauce, coffee and tea, baking supplies, and toiletries, like soap, shampoo, deodorant, paper towels, toilet paper, and facial tissues. Big Y coins are also acceptable donation items.

WIN’s 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.

Items are delivered to residents who have requested help in time for Thanksgiving, with additional supplies to help the individual residents, couples and families through the holiday season.