The Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) donated 966 packaged food goods to the Northern Illinois Food Bank today, following a drive to help families in need, as the organization has done every year around the holidays. 

Bringing in cans not only benefits members of the local community but also students at West Chicago Community High School. Those who brought in five cans earned a P.E. makeup (though only two makeups were allowed through can donations). Students who brought in 10 donations were able to excuse themselves from one detention. 

To increase the number of donations, FCCLA organized a den competition to see which class could rack up more items by the deadline, Friday, Dec. 2. The dens that collected the most items (by grade level) received donuts today. Winners were as follows: 

Seniors: English teacher Mary Fremeau’s den with 56 items.

Juniors: math teacher Aaron Hayes’ den with 40 items.

Sophomores: science teacher Lisa Licari’s den with 62 items.

Freshmen: English teacher Alex Schwartz’s den with 31 items.

Food drive donations were accepted in Commons or FCCLA adviser Brittney Bauer’s room from 7:30 a.m. to 7:55 a.m. every day. The group accepted any type of canned or packaged foods including dried beans, whole grain pasta, and rice, spices and seasonings, etc. Donations were sent to the Northern Illinois Food Bank and local food pantries.

“Not only are we helping those in need, but we are helping people around the community too,” said junior Alyssa Schliephake member of FCCLA.

Students and faculty of FCCLA also decided to stretch the deadline for the can drive this year to gain more cans to deliver. 

“The best part of the food drive is seeing the students wanting to help those in need and those around the community,” said Bauer.

The food drive was originally supposed to conclude in November, but “close to the end of the first week we didn’t have that large of a turnout.” said Nate Bove, member of FCCLA. As such, the group decided to extended the effort past the Thanksgiving holiday.

The FCCLA can drive is an annual staple, and the collection is usually considerable. In previous years, FCCLA has received “about 2,000 [donations] throughout the whole school for two weeks,” said Bauer.