Hyre Students Assist with Turkey Giveaway

It was a Thanksgiving hands-on experience for seventh-graders at Hyre CLC.

 

“Hello, how’s your day? Would you like some sweet potatoes?” That’s how Emma Slusser of Hyre CLC greeted people who came to the Joy Park Community Center on Fuller Street for the Good Samaritan Hunger Center’s annual turkey giveaway.

 

“It was fun,” she said, “We got to see a lot of people, and it made me feel good.” She and her twin sister, Eliza Slusser, both 12, put food in bags and placed the items in the open trunks. She passed out fruit and vegetables.

 

“I liked the experience. It was fun,” said Eliza. “It made me happ,y and it felt good to help people.”

 

The seventh-graders from Hyre partnered with Good Samaritan for the turkey giveaway through the school’s College & Career Academy.

 

“Students are paired with a non-profit of their interest and volunteer in an area that aligns with our partner’s mission,” said Tracey Bowman, the Coach of the College & Career Academies at APS.

 

One group of students helped unload the truck full of supplies and sorted through the items, making sure every batch of strawberries or other time-sensitive fruits and vegetables were still good, and bagged the items. The other group took part in the food distribution. The students volunteered the morning shift, and community volunteers took the afternoon/early evening shift. There were 30 seventh-graders who took part in the event; and, along with community volunteers, more than 250 people joined in the giveaway.

 

“We call the event the T & T giveaway, turkeys with all the trimmings,” said Michele (yes, only 1 L in her name) Smith, the director of Good Samaritan Hunger Center. “We are passing out 600 turkeys and all the trimmings to the community. This is our seventh year.”

 

The volunteers also gave away dried cranberries; cranberry sauce; cans of green beans, corn and carrots; jars of gravy; mashed potatoes; butter; milk; eggs and cheese; a major assortment of vegetables; a salad mix; mushroom sauce; noodles; squash; breads; an assortment of sweets, which included cookies, cakes and donuts; and paper plates.

 

The non-profit collaborated with People Feeding People. The Orr Foundation gave them $15,000 for the turkeys. They were purchased through the Akron Canton Regional Food Bank. There were also many food donations. Smith has been the Director of the Good Samaritan Hunger Center for eight years. Ironically, Smith’s cousin, Sister Jordan Haddad who was part of the Dominican Order and the Catholic Commission, started the organization.

 

“The lines are the longest I’ve ever seen, but we’ll stay until we run out,” Smith said. “Our motto is Service with a Smile; we do this with love and kindness.”

 

Hyre’s Family Liaison, Danielle Roberts, also went with the students. She said it is amazing that the organization can do all that it does.

 

“It’s my favorite thing we do every year, with the students,” Roberts said. “It shows the students how to give back to the community; and, it’s a nonprofit that they can really be involved with because you can see it, feel it and see how it helps people in the community. It is a heartwarming experience.”

 

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