Western Middle School Students Give Back to Their Greenwich Community

The future of Greenwich will be in good hands if the students at Western Middle School continue their good efforts.

Last week, the students presented the fruits — and vegetables, pasta, cereals and soups — of their labor to the Neighbor to Neighbor food pantry. The students — led by seventh-graders Zane Khader, Nevan Burke and Christine Flood — collected food and money for the food pantry that provides needed groceries to about 100 families a day in Greenwich.

At the annual student-teacher basketball game, admission was by donation of a food item or money. The students decided to hold the benefit for Neighbor to Neighbor after seeing a You Tube video of the agency that was founded 40 years ago. They collected more than 250 food items and more than $250 in cash donations that was presented to Neighbor to Neighbor’s Executive Director Nancy Coughlin during an assembly in the school auditorium Thursday morning.

“What you have done today is amazing,” Coughlin told the students. “The money that you donated will help us by milk, bread and meat from grocery stores that sell it to us at a discount. This is going to make a big difference in people’s lives.”

Coughlin advised the youngsters to continue to make a difference in people’s lives. “We’re neighbors helping neighbors. If you smile at someone or say ‘Hi,’ you can make a difference in someone’s life. Thank you for looking out for one another.” She added, “We’re a very small independent nonprofit … we like that we’re from Greenwich and helping Greenwich.”

At the end of the assembly, the students carried out dozens of boxes and crates filled with their donations and loaded them into the Neighbor to Neighbor van.

Faculty advisor Ralph Marmon said the food drive was one of several community projects the students are organizing throughout the year. Next on their list — a pet food and supply drive to benefit the Greenwich Animal Control Shelter.

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