The annual Holiday Food Drive sponsored by the Dunham chapters of the National Junior Honor Society and National Honor Society far exceeded collections from previous years.

The Holiday Food Drive benefits The Shepherd’s Pantry, a food bank that serves those in need living in the 70810 zip code. This year, the chapters collected 519 items, a 60 percent increase in goods received over the previous year. The items, ranging from non-perishable foods to small toiletries and personal items weighed in at 1,034.6 pounds.

“Our NJHS members worked diligently to promote the Food Drive around campus. They created signs advertising the project and promoted the Food Drive to fellow students and parents during morning carpool and Extra Help time,” NJHS sponsor Gerri Bove said.

For two weeks leading up to Thanksgiving break, members of both chapters promoted the drive and recruited collections.  In the Middle School, the food drive became a competition to earn points toward the House Cup awarded at the end of the year.

On Friday, before the Thanksgiving break, members boxed and organized goods so donations could be transported to St. John’s United Methodist Church, which hosts The Shepherd’s Pantry.

“We enjoyed working with NHS to complete this service project,” Bove said. “It is wonderful to be on a campus where two organizations can come together for a common goal. We look forward to working with them on many other service projects in the future.”