Students Gather Donations To Make Holidays Bright In Barnegat

BARNEGAT, NJ — Ongoing acts of holiday goodwill ensured that Barnegat’s families in need did not have to go without this holiday season, thanks to the Barnegat Township School District.

Starting in late October, the district’s community outreach team invited local families to write wish lists that included their children’s ages, interests, and clothing/shoe sizes. Various community and school organizations then “adopted” a family or families, buying gifts for them directly or raising funds for BTSD to shop for gifts.

And as a result of this program, more than 120 families and close to 400 children had presents underneath their trees, thanks to the efforts of all six BTSD schools, the Barnegat Transportation Department, Elfie’s House, the Wright Presbyterian Church, the BHS Rotary, Environmental, and Interact clubs, the Barnegat “Grinch” and family, Pheasant Run and Seacrest Pines communities, the Waretown United Methodist Church, and the Sea Breeze at Lacey, along with many individual residents of the Barnegat community who adopted families and helped raise money for their presents.

The Barnegat PBA 296 also held its annual toy drive to contribute to holiday gift-giving, and distributed toys to students throughout Barnegat schools. Meanwhile, nine children got the chance to “Shop with a Cop” in Little Egg Harbor with Barnegat officers.

"The holidays are meant to be a time of joy, but not everyone has the means to celebrate the way they want to. That’s where our community steps up,” said BTSD DFC Coordinator/K-8 SAC Michele Cucinotta, who collects and organizes many of the donations. “We help families in any way that we can whether that means food, warm clothes, or gifts for their kids. When things are hard, we remember that we are One Barnegat, that we can rely on each other.”

In addition to providing gifts, as part of the district’s holiday outreach, 175 coats, 250 pairs of socks and 30 sets of pajamas for children and adults were collected and distributed directly across the township. To provide these warm clothes, BTSD worked with Heritage Bay Book Club, Bayside Chapel’s annual winter coat drive and The United Way of Monmouth and Ocean Counties Warm Wishes Programs.

“In Barnegat schools, every student from our youngest preschooler to our eldest high school senior learns the importance of giving back to the community,” said Superintendent Dr. Brian Latwis. “It warms my heart to see our students and staff working so hard to help our fellow Barnegat residents. That’s what the spirit of the holidays is about, after all -- giving back and bringing joy to the people around you.”

To learn more or find out how to get involved, visit barnegatschools.com.