Students Collect Thousands of Canned Goods for Local Food Banks

A message from Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School:

’s Key Club continues its mission of service to community by collecting food for the Monmouth and Ocean County FoodBank. 

The annual drive is a contest between high schools in Monmouth and Ocean County. If the past is any indication, the three-week long drive will be more than a regional challenge and become a fun rivalry with a purpose between homeroom classes.

This drive aids the FoodBank in providing food to over 51,000 children (and their families) just in Monmouth and Ocean Counties. This challenge provides a way for students to extend help and opportunities to help other kids locally.

This year, Key Club members aim to exceed 2010’s totals. The totaled 3,926 pounds of canned and dry goods, and RFH won the entire regional competition.

The recognition for the win was nice, but it is more than that for participants. Grace Mullan, a four-year Key Club member who has helped organize this event said, “It’s great that our school really gets into it – that kind of success makes you feel good.”

The teachers feel similarly. Rallying the students around a common cause, with a little head-to-head competition between a few homerooms, is exciting and positively affects the food totals. Jon Pennetti, advisor to the Key Club said, "For the Key Club to live up to its potential, it all starts and ends with the students. They are the nucleus of our club. I can organize and print out posters, but without their enthusiasm and interest in giving back to the community, we would have nothing."   

According to Pennetti, students are constantly interacting and giving back to the community in a way that is much deeper than the Service Hours they will receive. Key Club officers this year are Zach Fendrick, President; Chris Brodsky, Vice President; Jen Maloney, Secretary; Kristen Sullivan, Treasurer; and Charlie Gordon, Crop Walk Chairman.

Donations will be tallied for each room until the contest ends on November 21. At that time, the homeroom that has brought in the most food will win breakfast compliments of the Key Club. 

The community can help the cause by bringing can goods to the main office of the high school.