By Ruby Setara
You’ve most likely heard on the morning announcements that the school was having a canned food drive, sponsored by City Meals on Wheels. Have you ever wondered where that food goes and what is the purpose to the food drive? I interviewed Ms. Zelacoff, who started the food drive, to find out.
Ms. Zelacoff is a health teacher in MCSM. credit: Ruby Setara
How did the idea of the food drive originate? Who is it for?
Ms. Zelacoff: The food drive is held every year at MCSM for the organization City Meals on Wheels, and originally the organization asks for money donations. We contacted them and asked if instead of giving money we could give food and they agreed. So every Thanksgiving we start off the holiday with the food drive. The canned food is meant for elderly people who live by themselves and do not have the money to go outside and buy it themselves. These people live by themselves too so they can’t send someone out and get it for them.
When the drive ends, where does the food go?
Ms. Zelacoff: A man from the organization named Jose Sanchez sends over the company’s truck and transports it to the organization. They then supply people with the food.
How many cans of food were donated so far? Do you think by having this drive that MCSM makes a difference in people’s lives?
Ms. Zelacoff: On November 19, 2015, José Sanchez from the organization sent us a truck to take about 400 cans of food from MCSM to the organization. This drive does make a difference in those people’s lives because without our help and others they would not get the help they deserve. Especially around Thanksgiving, when people are supposed to be together and having good meals, it’s important to think of others. Mr. Sanchez recently sent me an email thanking our school for our hard work in helping their organization and the elderly people.
As a closing statement, is there anything else you might be working on to make a difference in other’s lives?
Ms. Zelacoff: I am going to hold the drive again in our second semester and hopefully with our school participating twice we generate more cans for the organization and for the people that need it the most this holiday season. It is important to think of others as well as yourself.