CHAGRIN FALLS, Ohio -- You can help out a family in need this holiday season.
Through Friday (Nov. 18), the Interact Club at Chagrin Falls High School will be collecting grocery store gift cards and monetary donations for the Geauga County Job and Family Services Holiday Food Drive.
This is the 17th year that the Interact Club has assisted in collecting funds for the food drive.
Giant Eagle and Aldi gift cards will be accepted by the school organization, along with checks or cash donations. Interact is asking donors to write the gift card amount on the card.
The two homerooms that raise the most money for the food drive will receive free food and beverages from Tiger Perk.
Karen Sindelar, intervention specialist and Interact Club adviser, believes that this year’s food drive is especially needed because of elevated food prices.
“Yes, I feel that the cost of everything is rising. It is hard for families to keep up with all of these increasing costs,” Sindelar said.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Interact switched from the traditional canned food drive to collecting gift cards for holiday food needs. The Interact Club is staying with the gift card approach this year due to the fact that they believe individual families would prefer to purchase the items that are needed for their holiday meals.
After the holidays, families who have received the monetary assistance traditionally reach out to the Interact Club with cards or letters to express their appreciation for the food donation.
This is the 50th year that Geauga County has coordinated the Sponsor-A-Family Program. In the program’s first year, in 1972, 10 Geauga County families were helped. In 2022, approximately 1,400 people received donations from the county’s food drive.
Read more from the Chagrin Solon Sun.