On August 20, 2018, the eighth grade class at Sacred Heart Catholic School served more than 100 needy and homeless members of their community. The effort was part of the local Community Hot Meals’ feeding program at First United Methodist Church on Douglas Street, New Smyrna Beach and student Confirmation service projects.

Students served meals and handed out care packages bought using the funds from twins Allison and Jackson’s service project, “Calvo’s Bottles for Change.” The twins’ Confirmation project included placing a soda bottle in each classroom and inviting fellow students to drop in their change. The eighth graders also gave away clothes from Finn’s Closet, another Confirmation service project which entailed collecting and distributing clothes and shoes to the needy, especially the homeless.

“I liked seeing the happy faces of the people when they got their care packs,” said Allison C. who, together with her twin brother Jackson, made the feeding possible by donating some of the change they collected and by buying the care packs.

Sacred Heart Catholic School has been volunteering at the soup kitchen for about eight years now and it has been a tradition that the graduating class participate in the feeding program. The Class of 2019 will once again visit and serve at the local soup kitchen before graduation.

Calvo’s Bottles for Change and Finn’s Closet made it possible for the class of 30 students to provide the food, serve, distribute care packs and clothes, and do the clean up. The graduating class members have high hopes that the Class of 2020 will continue with Sacred Heart School’s promise and commitment to alleviate suffering and poverty one meal at a time.

Article written by Madeline R., an eighth grade student at Sacred Heart Catholic School, New Smyrna Beach.