Princeton PTO holds Valentine food drive

   The Parent Teacher Organization of the Princeton Regional Schools has organized a district-wide Valentine’s food drive from Feb. 7 through 14 to benefit the Crisis Ministry of Trenton and Princeton.
   The Crisis Ministry provides canned goods, dry foods and other staples to those truly in crisis in Mercer County. One valentine gift easily costs $3.99. That amount of money can feed a Crisis Ministry recipient household for two days or more.
   According to the Crisis Ministry’s mission statement:
   "We operate from two offices located in Princeton and Trenton in order to be accessible to as many people as possible. Our focus is on low-income people, both individuals and families, who fall through the cracks in the system of social services. This includes the working poor, the unemployed, those on disability, and those on public assistance who are not eligible for or who have been denied emergency assistance."
   Students, staff and Princeton community members can donate Valentines of Food from Feb. 7 through 14 by:
   • bringing designated food items to school;
   • donating directly to the Crisis Ministry by sending a check to the school made out to: "Crisis Ministry – Food";
   • purchasing one or more $3.99 Valentine Bags of Food at McCaffrey’s Market, Princeton. McCaffrey’s has agreed to double that price and provide $7.99 value of food to the Crisis Ministry.
   Also, nonperishable food can be brought to the following schools during the campaign week: Community Park, Johnson Park, Littlebrook, Riverside, the Charter School, John Witherspoon and Princeton High School, as well as local supporting churches — Nassau Presbyterian, Trinity Episcopal and All Saints Episcopal.
   The Crisis Ministry, under the direction of the Reverend Sally Osmer, can be reached in Trenton at (609) 396-9355 and in Princeton at (609) 921-2135. Its Web site is www.thecrisisministry.org.
   For more information about the PTO Valentines of Food, call Don Dickason, Crisis Ministry volunteer, at (609) 683-4006.