St. Mary School students are marking the season of Advent this year by loving and serving others. The food & gift drives that were organized and contributed to by SMS students & their families are making a big impact on the lives of many local families this Christmas season!
Just before Thanksgiving break, SMS students went grocery shopping and scoured their cupboards at home for essential food & hygiene items for the needy in our community. The "Help for the Homeless" food drive culminated on the students' last day of school before Thanksgiving break, and collected items that helped those less fortunate in our community meet their basic needs. Everyone likes to donate canned goods & boxed stuffing for a Thanksgiving meal for the homeless, so SMS students instead opted to ask for what people need AFTER the hot Thanksgiving meal. Items were assigned by grade level, and we had a tremendous response! The food &hygiene items were picked up by the St. Vincent dePaul Society for distribution to those in need in our community. By procuring these supplies and bringing them into school, our students learned about sharing their blessings with others, and the importance of service.
Continuing the spirit of giving and sharing our blessings, our 8th grade class once again organized the "St. Agnes Project" this Advent. This endeavor helps families in Buffalo's East Side who are served by the Franciscan Sisters of St. Agnes’ Convent. The St. Agnes Project is a long-standing service project that was a tradition at SMS prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, and has since been revived! The service project provides Christmas gifts and gift cards to families who would have no other gifts without the generosity of our students and school families. 8th graders prepared a letter that went home with students from all grade levels, requesting donations of gifts or gift cards for 58 individuals from 11 families. The gifts were collected at school and will be delivered to the families in need before Christmas by the 8th grade students.
We can't wait to see what our 8th grade has planned for the rest of the school year, and are so proud of all of our students who exemplify our values of SERVICE & TRADITION for others.