HIGHTSTOWN — Students from Peddie School took part in a campuswide food drive this month that garnered more than $1,200 in grocery store gift cards and provided more than 80 Thanksgiving baskets along with seven additional boxes of food and drink to Rise, the former Community Action Service Center.
Located downtown, Rise is a community service partnership which assists local families and individuals in achieving their full potential. One of the many ways Rise accomplishes its goals is through the Adopt a Family program, in which Thanksgiving food baskets are donated to bring families together to share in the warmth of the holiday season.
In partnership with Peddie School and St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church, as well as many local businesses, civic groups and residents, donations of holiday food are gathered and distributed to families in need.
More than 150 requests for food baskets were received this year, and the month of November saw more than double the requests for assistance than any other month. While donations from Peddie and other community members enabled Rise to respond to these needs, there is still much work to be done.
”By January, most of this food will be gone,” explained Isabelle Hazel, who coordinates the local food bank, “Our hope is that Peddie and others will continue to assist us in offering a hand up through these difficult times to our neighbors in need.”

