125 Thanksgiving Meals Shared By Manchester's Helping Hands

MANCHESTER, NJ — The annual Manchester Township High School Helping Hands for Hunger distributed 125 meal bags to families in need for Thanksgiving.

The annual food drive strives to provide Thanksgiving meals confidentially to those Manchester families who need extra support during the holiday season.

On Monday students from every school in the district came together at Manchester Township High School to prepare the bags, loading them with canned goods along with fresh fruit, vegetables, eggs and turkeys.

Helping Hands for Hunger, which marked its 15th year, is led by Manchester Township High School students and staff, and run by the school's vice principal, Sarah Thiffault, and staffer Brenda Scanziani. It brings the school district and the town together.

Students and staff from across every Manchester Township Public School provide non-perishable donations.

"For example, the Boyd family from Ridgeway Elementary collected 55 cans alone," Manchester Schools officials said.

The drive also collects gift cards that are used to buy perishable food items.

Helping Hands for Hunger organizers thanked the Manchester Township PBA, 3Bs in Lakehurst, the River Pointe Adult Community in Manchester, and everyone who donated gift cards and money.

"Every dollar helped someone right here in Manchester have a Thanksgiving meal this year," they said.

When the students finished packing the bags, Thiffault thanked them and said, "Take a moment to look around your Thanksgiving table this year and as you appreciate what you have, remember how your kindness extended to 125 families in Manchester who now have a Thanksgiving dinner because of students like you and our community effort."

"Manchester is such a special place to live," she said. "Helping Hands for Hunger happens because of all of the hard work collectively by our school and town community. Thank you all!"