Middle School FutureActs Students Come out in Droves to Support Annual Gobble Up Hunger Thanksgiving Drive

For Immediate Release
November 27, 2024

 

FutureActs students and other volunteers gather for a group photo prior to starting to pack up Gobble Up Hunger boxes.

WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP – More than 100 students turned out on Wednesday, November 27th in support of the District Middle School FutureActs program’s annual Gobble Up Hunger Drive. Students from all three middle schools volunteered their time at Bunker Hill Middle School, unpacking and sorting food to set up an assembly line of food items including stuffing, gravy, corn, green beans and soup – as well as fresh produce like russet and sweet potatoes, carrots, apples, and pie – that were placed into Thanksgiving baskets for families in need. Each family also received a turkey. Other donated food items included in the food baskets were breakfast items, pasta and pasta sauce, and peanut butter and jelly. Students then packed the food baskets and loaded boxes into waiting vehicles for delivery.

 
This annual event is organized by the middle school FutureActs advisors at each middle school: Heather Finn and Maddy Kubik (Bunker Hill), Amy Leso (Orchard Valley), and Amanda Dacquisto (Chestnut Ridge).

 
FutureActs advisors gave a special thanks to Tony Grelli and Velocity Ventures for their immense support. Other sponsors and supporters of the drive included: Jimmy DePiano and AJ Flooring, Kitchen & Bath, the Washington Township Education Association, Washington Township Rotary, Michael Liberi and Liberi Fence, Mother’s Cupboard, South Jersey Food Bank, Duffield’s Farm Market, ShopRite of Washington Township-Bottino’s Family Market, Thomas Zippler & Kingzippy LLC, Washington Township Police Department, Dynamic Tint & Paint Protection, PMD Heating and Air Conditioning, Meghan Brown & Keller Williams, WT Youth Football, and numerous other community members.

 

The advisors also thanked Superintendent Dr. Eric Hibbs, district administrator and former BHMS principal Mike D’Ostilio, Operations Coordinator Jeff Walter, Food Service Manager Jennifer Mullin, Tiffany Orihel, Mayor-Elect Anthony Dellapia, Councilman Peter Del Borello, and the WTPS board members, administration, faculty, staff, food services, and operations for their unending support of Gobble Up Hunger.

 

The FutureAct clubs will now turn their attention to the annual Power of Giving event. Community members interested in donating to the project, or sponsoring a student or family for the upcoming gift-giving holidays, are invited to email Maddy Kubik at mkubik@wtps.org.  

 

Tony Grelli and the team from Velocity Ventures were a huge sponsor of the event.

 

Bunker Hill Middle School students Brooklyn Foxhill (left) and Julia Lafferty hold up brussels sprouts as they pack up a Thanksgiving box.

 

Volunteers and organizers of Gobble Up Hunger gather for a photo. They include (left to right): BHMS FuturActs advisor Heather Finn, District Assistant Business Administrator Carisa Rose, Superintendent Dr. Eric Hibbs, Director of School Community Outreach Mike D’Ostilio, OVMS FutureActs advisor Amy Leso, CRMS FutureActs advisor Amanda Dacquisto, BHMS FutureActs advisor Maddy Kubik, and Township Councilman Peter Del Borello.

 

FutureActs students (l to r) Hayley Ott, Madison Mroz, and Alexa Pizzo are all smiles filling a Gobble Up Hunger basket.

 

FutureActs students (l to r) Mia Tamburro, J.P. Orihel, and Liam Watkins pick out carrots for their basket.

 

WTPS Operations staff helped pack up turkeys for the event.

 

- WTPS -