Many alumni and community members will recognize the Gonzaga Prep Food Drive as being an extraordinarily impactful program, for community members and students alike. Together, the Gonzaga Prep student body, faculty, staff, parents, and alumni collect more than 100,000 pounds of food each year. This food is gathered, sorted, and then delivered to more than 200 local families (turkey and pie included) and substantial contributions are made to organizations like Second Harvest Food Bank, Catholic Charities, Idaho parishes, and more. 

 

COVID-19. As with everything, the Food Drive will be different. We are assuming we will probably be on Hybrid 50 half-day schedule through Thanksgiving.

 

WHY?  Asked the purpose of the Gonzaga Prep Food Drive, most people respond, “to feed the hungry.” Yes, because that fulfills Jesus’ Gospel call to love our neighbor. In the midst of COVID our neighbors are in great need. And, our Mission and the goals of Jesuit education call us to a gain a deeper awareness of the causes of poverty and become committed to justice in social and economic structures.

 

Dates. We will not have the usual kick-off con. Teachers may begin bringing in food at their own pace. We probably will have cohorts sort, load and deliver on BOTH Tuesday and Wednesday, November 24 & 25.

 

Safety!

• The safety of our students is our #1 concern so continue to vigilantly wear a mask, maintain social distance and wash your hands or sanitize regularly!
• Always carry ID and wear Gonzaga Prep clothing while collecting or delivering.
• We DO NOT recommend students collect door-to-door this year,
• If students encounter problems while collecting or delivering, inform parents/guardians and teacher/administrator as soon as possible.
• The Prep telephone answering machine (509-483-8511) will have a recording on it during the drive announcing that students are out collecting.

 

Collection of Food & COVID

• Outside Grocery Stores. Students must obtain the permission of the manager before collecting outside a grocery store. Always wear a mask, maintain social distance and wash your hands or sanitize regularly!
• Door-To-Door. During COVID students should NOT go door-to-door knocking on doors. You MAY leave a note at a door asking folks to leave food out on their porch on a particular day when you will come back and pick it up.
• Do not collect from homes during the Boy Scouts Drive November 7-14.
• Always be polite, appreciative and respectful; you are representing Gonzaga Prep.

 

Recipients – Period 1 classes will be delivering food to 200+ families and providing bulk food to Native American tribes, Second Harvest Food Bank, Catholic Charities housing and a number of small food pantries. Classes will get the preliminary names, telephone numbers and addresses by 1^st period on Thursday morning, November 19.

 

Specific Goals for Food and Money  - The Food Drive committee needs $6 from each student to buy the turkeys and pies. There are no specific goals for the food. Historically, Prep has collected about 100,000 pounds of food which averages out to about 115 lbs/student. Below is a list of what food banks typically need:

 

 

Protein

Peanut Butter

Canned meat, ham, chicken, tuna

Hearty soups, chili, stews

Macaroni and cheese, boxed dinners

Beans (kidney, pinto, navy, black, refried, etc.)

 

Fruits and Vegetables

Canned fruits and vegetables

Canned or boxed juices

Boxed mashed potatoes

Dried fruit

 

Grains

Pasta or Rice

Healthy cereals (low sugar and fat)

Flour, baking mixes

Stuffing mixes

Oatmeal, Cream of Wheat

Any baby food

 

 

 

Our hope is that we have 100% participation in some form by all students, faculty, staff and administrators.

 

Weigh Your Food We welcome you to weigh your food and report your amount to the Food Drive Committee. For purposes of the “competition,” if you turn in money to the Food Drive account and tell Barry or Liz you want it sent to Second Harvest we will count each $1 = six pounds of food. “[E]very $1 you donate to Second Harvest helps secure and distribute at least 6 pounds of food… Unlike walking into a grocery store and paying retail prices for food, Second Harvest works directly with farmers, manufacturers, retailers and other partners across the Inland Northwest and in other parts of the country to secure safe, healthy food.”

 

Turkey/Pie Money – The Food Drive Committee needs $6 from each student to cover the cost of the turkeys and pumpkin pies. Please put the Turkey/Pie Money in Barry Barfield’s mailbox. Each 1^st period will receive an envelope for Turkey/Pie Money to make it easy to get Turkey/Pie Money back to Barry Barfield’s mailbox.

 

Other-Than-Turkey/Pie Money - Your 1^st period may collect more than is needed for the turkeys/pies (Other-Than-Turkey/Pie Money) and may wish to use your Other-Than-Turkey/Pie Money (a) to buy food (milk, eggs, produce, etc.) for your families OR b) earmark it for Second Harvest. Other-Than-Turkey/Pie Money must be handled differently than Turkey/Pie Money.

 

Other-Than-Turkey/Pie Money checks that are made out to Gonzaga Prep MUST be deposited into the Treasurer’s Food Drive account. 1^st period teachers can then (a) leave it in the account and Prep will send it to 2^nd Harvest OR (b) front money to buy groceries and get reimbursed ONLY after bringing a receipt for those purchases ((b) is NEW!!!!)

 

Other-Than-Turkey/Pie Money cash does not need to be turned into the Treasurer. You can use these funds to purchase food directly from grocery stores for your families. Any funds not spent should be forwarded to the Treasurer's Office for the Food Drive account. If you need cash or coins counted and/or exchanged for larger bills, please bring the funds to the Treasurer's Office. If you turn cash in to the Treasurer and later want to draw money out for groceries you must front money to buy groceries and get reimbursed ONLY after bringing a receipt for those purchases (NEW!!!!)

 

Participation Form – Period 1 teachers are responsible for securing a parent/guardian signed Participation Form for every student driving or being driven for the Food Drive.

 

Drivers – 1^st Period teachers are responsible for arranging drivers to deliver food.??? (Some deliveries need to be anonymous and the Food Drive Committee will arrange drivers.) Some deliveries have pre-arranged drivers and those will be noted. Some families will pick up their food and those will be noted. If you need drivers, try recruiting parents and/or older siblings. As a last resort, contact Mr. Barfield.

 

Solicitation Letter – Some businesses and individuals want a letter on Gonzaga Prep letterhead for program authentication or tax purposes. That letter can be found on the Prep web page, under Faith & Service, Thanksgiving Food Drive. 

 

Sharing  If one homeroom does not have enough food, ask another for help. If one homeroom has more than enough food, share or give to the Second Harvest Food Bank truck.

 

Days of Delivery  School starts at 8:00 am on Tuesday and Wednesday, November 24 & 25, with students in their 1^st period class for role, prayer and announcements. Learning will be asynchronous. Classes will sort their food and load vehicles. At 8:30/8:45? am all students and teachers will be in 1^st period for announcements and a send-off blessing. After the blessing, deliveries may begin; none will leave campus before this time. After deliveries are completed students will return to Prep and their 1^st period class for role and announcements. When most students have returned we will announce an abbreviated schedule for periods 2 – 7, with the day ending at 12:15 pm.

 

If no one is home and you are certain you have the correct address, then leave the food in a safe place. If food cannot be delivered CALL PREP at 509-483-8511. As a last resort it can be given to one of your other families or brought back to Prep and put in the Food Bank truck.

 

Clean Up – Before we leave on Wednesday the school should be completely ready for the next day of school: all food is delivered or in the Food Bank truck, all garbage is in trash cans and large trash is in the dumpster, plastic bags are combined into one bag, paper bags are flattened and piled, boxes are flattened and piled.

 

God bless,

Barry Barfield (bbarfield@gprep.com), Zoe Jaspers zjaspers@gprep.com & Liz Slamkowski (lslamkowski@gprep.com) in Room 6

 

 

Go Set the World on Fire!!!