BY Alex Caruso
Staff Reporter
Student Government is hosting their ninth annual Turkey Drive throughout the month of November. With a current goal of $12,000, their mission is to help deliver over 700 turkeys in the local Bridgeport area to families in need. This long-standing tradition aims to help the Sacred Heart community learn the importance of giving back to others.
Students are encouraged to go out and get involved with the Turkey Drive through the donations of non-perishables and money online at www.weareshu.sacredheart.edu/project/17192. There are multiple opportunities to donate money around campus, with collection jars placed at establishments such as JP’s Diner and Einstein Bros. Bagels, along with a table outside of 63’s every Tuesday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Student Government strives to establish values, like neighbors helping neighbors, to inspire the students and faculty of Sacred Heart to help those that can’t afford a meal this Thanksgiving.
“Helping others is something that I always try and accomplish in my everyday life no matter where I am, whether it’s at home or at school,” said junior Jonathan Brown. “The turkey drive is a great way to get students involved in a great cause that has benefited the local Bridgeport area for the past eight years.”
Since the turkey drives are completely student-run through Student Government many students have got involved.
“I’ve been in Student Government since freshman year and I am the VP of Public Affairs and the Committee Head of the Turkey Drive. I’ve participated in the turkey drive every year and it’s really interesting to be on the other side and actually planning it,” said senior Julia Gatto. “So far we have had fundraising events at Next Level Nutrition, Moe’s, Playa Bowls and Krispy Kreme, and we are having an upcoming event at Chipotle.”
For students that have never participated in a turkey drive before, Student Government has helped create many opportunities to help students make a positive impact for so many families in Bridgeport.
“Student Government has done such a fantastic job organizing the turkey drive and promoting the neighbors helping neighbors challenge. I feel like everyone on campus has the chance to be a helping hand,” said junior Jenna Brabazon. “I am so excited to finally be able to help supply Thanksgiving meals to families in a community that I have been a part of for the last three years!”
Athletics and other organizations around campus get involved with the turkey drive every holiday season to try and get people outside of the Sacred Heart community to help donate to those in need.
“We can at J. Bagels & Cafe on Madison Avenue every Saturday morning for about three hours, as well as all of the on campus division one and club football/hockey games,” said Gatto. “On the day of the actual event we go to St. Charles and Blessed Sacrament Church to distribute the frozen turkeys. Everyone on Student Government goes as well as some division one athletes go to the churches to hand out the turkeys.”
For the first time this year, Student Government decided to do a Krispy Kreme fundraiser where students could order any amount of donuts with the proceeds going to support the turkey drive directly. Order forms were due on Nov. 7 and they received orders for over 100 dozen donuts. Students can also help support the turkey drive by sharing it on social media to their friends and family. Any and every donation goes to the great cause of feeding families this Thanksgiving.
