For the second year in a row, the Liberty Bell student body and staff collected enough food to feed 40 needy families. Each pod was responsible for collecting specific Thanksgiving food items like mashed potatoes, stuffing, green beans, cranberry sauce, mac and cheese and other items.
Liberty Bell 8th-grader Anna Jefson said it made her and her classmates feel good to know that they are helping families in the community.
“I think it is really empowering,” Jefson said through a smile. “Because it shows that everyone can come together and help other people. We are showing that we are a family as a school and that we want to help others.”
While the students were responsible for bringing in canned goods and boxed items, staff, PTSA and families made monetary donations to purchase turkey vouchers from Food City. Food City also donated rolls to accompany the Thanksgiving meals.
Liberty Bell counselors Stacey Philbrick, Seth Johns and Traci Honeycutt helped identify families that were in need. The counselors said they were pleasantly surprised by the reaction by the student body and staff.
“It’s really awesome to see how everyone comes together,” Philbrick said. “It’s a really great opportunity for our students to learn the importance of giving back and helping their community.”
Families will pick up the food boxes in the coming days to make sure they have plenty of time to prepare for Thanksgiving Day.
“It’s just rewarding and it’s so nice for us to be able to take care of our students and families that may not otherwise be able to enjoy the holidays together,” Liberty Bell Administrative Secretary Andrea Burgess said. “This is really special to us and we just want to make sure that our families are taken care of during this special time.”
