Katie O’Reilly ’14

With Thanksgiving quickly approaching, Episcopal students have again renewed their commitment to fighting hunger and giving back to the community.  Each year, the Vestry holds the Can Drive during the month of November in order to raise food to donate to families in need during the holiday season.  Carly Ciccotti ‘12, Accounting Warden of Vestry and coordinator for the 2011 Can Drive, said, “Last year’s can drive was a tremendous success and this year we are hoping to put on an even better drive.”

Last year, with the help of the entire Episcopal community, the Vestry collected a total of 13,000 cans.  This year, the Vestry’s plans are to “first match last year’s number and then of course strive to go above that number and raise even more cans,” said Ciccotti.

Reverend James Squire, Chaplain, explained that Vestry is aiming for “100% participation, as that is a goal as well.”

Collin Wright ‘12, Senior Warden of Vestry, said, “The can drive is a great way for the community to come together and support a worthy cause.”

This year, the delivery of the cans will be slightly different.  Susan Swanson, Director of Community Outreach said, “This year I suggested to the Vestry that instead of having the food pantries come to collect the cans, [The Vestry] should deliver the cans to the list of food pantries themselves.”

The Vestry will now directly take “ten percent of the cans to local food pantries that benefit Delaware County families, and 90 percent to the non–profit Respond with Love run by Richard McDonough,” said Ciccotti.

This decision to donate the cans directly to Respond with Love was made last year.  The cans will then be distributed to various food pantries around Philadelphia, such as Philabundance.  Swanson said that for years, the Vestry gave all the cans collected during the Can Drive to Old Pine Church in Philadelphia.

“When I took over the director position of Community Outreach, I learned that the church was overwhelmed by Episcopal’s donations, and after that we started to donate our cans to Philabundance,” said Swanson.

The Vestry encourages students and faculty to donate cans in various ways, including competitions held between varsity sports teams and Upper School grades.

“The way the can drive is promoted through prizes and fun makes me want to get more involved,” said Taylor Fitzgerald ’14.

Vestry is using new tactics this year to collect more cans. “We’re going to put reminders around the school using things like sidewalk chalk.  [The Vestry] also made ceramic cans to put in classrooms and the cafeteria to remind kids that while they’re eating, others may not be so fortunate,” said Ciccotti.

Along with the Vestry, the Community Service Board also puts a special focus on fighting hunger in the month of November.  Their annual Turkey Drive collects frozen turkeys from the community and delivers them to University City Hospital Coalition (UCHC), Broad Street Ministry, Family Support Services, and Northern Home.  Although the Community Service Board focuses on hunger in the month of November, they do not see the issue of hunger as seasonal.  “Episcopal should have something [food collections] on an ongoing basis, not just during the can drive,” said Swanson.

The Community Service Board also operates a permanent community food cupboard in the Lower School and every Thursday student volunteers are bused by teachers to Philadelphia to help operate a soup kitchen run by UCHC.

Katie Gallagher ’12, a member of the Community Service Board, explained that with both the Vestry’s Can Drive and the Community Service Board’s dedication to fighting hunger during the month of November, “The Episcopal Academy community allows those in need to experience a traditional Thanksgiving holiday.”