The Annual Thanksgiving Food Drive at Harbor Country Day School Allows Students to Deliver 1,000 pounds of Food to Smithtown Emergency Food Pantry.
Yesterday, students from Harbor Country Day School in St. James delivered close to 1,000 pounds of nonperishable food items to the Smithtown Emergency Food Pantry. Each year the Upper School Students at Harbor Country Day School spearhead the Thanksgiving food drive. This Thanksgiving tradition, teaches the students the importance of setting a positive example to the younger classmen. But more importantly, the entire student body accomplish an extraordinary act of kindness together, bringing unity and gratitude to our future leaders of tomorrow.
“Harbor Country Day is pleased to continue our annual tradition of collecting food for the Smithtown Emergency Food Pantry… Our Upper School students, who lead this school-wide effort, take great pride in the role they play in helping people throughout our surrounding communities. As we continue our focus on character development throughout all grades here at Harbor, the Upper School students are setting a remarkable example for their fellow students to follow.”- John Cissel, Head of School at Harbor Country Day School
For over 15 years, Harbor Country Day School has held this annual food drive to help the Smithtown Food Pantry to feed tens of thousands of families in crisis each year. In 2015, the Smithtown Food Pantry was able to provide 122 families with all the trimmings and tiny details needed to give every family a perfect Thanksgiving Dinner. Because of the generosity of local churches, community members and schools like Harbor Country Day School, the food pantry was able to provide 80,000 meals in last year alone.
“We are grateful for the support Harbor Country Day School has given us for the past 15-plus years. We always look forward to seeing the children’s smiling faces as they take time out of their busy school day to visit us… As an integral member of our community for nearly 60 years, Harbor is a perfect representation of the many wonderful ways we all rally together and lift each other up in times of need.” – Pat Westlake, Director of the Smithtown Emergency Food Pantry
About Harbor Country Day School
Founded in 1958 by conscientious parents, Harbor Country Day School is an independent, co-educational day school for children from preschool through 8th grade situated in St. James’ Village of Head of the Harbor. The school employs a whole-child approach to education, wherein its rigorous curriculum is supported by a broad program in its academic, athletic, advisory, and visual and performing arts departments designed to develop all aspects of each child’s talents and interests. Harbor Country Day School’s summer camp program, Camp Harbor, is among the leading summer camp programs on Long Island. The school’s mission to “cherish childhood, cultivate wonder, and inspire confident learners and leaders” underscores every child’s experience at Harbor Country Day School and ensures that all of its graduates are prepared to lead fulfilling lives filled with wonder, confidence, and many successes.
Harbor Country Day School is chartered by the New York State Board of Regents and is accredited by and a member of the New York State Association of Independent Schools (NYSAIS). It is a non-sectarian, nonprofit organization under section 501(c) (3) of the IRS Code governed by a self-perpetuating board of trustees. For more information, visit www.hcdsny.org.
About the Smithtown Emergency Food Pantry
In March of 1984, the members of seven church congregations within Smithtown saw a need to provide food to residents who could not afford to feed their families. This food pantry is run entirely by the volunteers of seven churches: Byzantine Church of the Resurrection, First Presbyterian Church of Smithtown, Smithtown United Methodist Church, St Andrews Lutheran Church, St James Episcopal Church, St Thomas of Canterbury Episcopal Church, and St James Lutheran Church. The food pantry relies on the support of Smithtown residents, surrounding communities, schools, fraternal organizations, scouts, businesses, houses of worship and individual citizen donations