By Jennifer Macler ’23
November is a period of giving thanks, and Gunn students will embrace this sentiment through the Gunn Gives Back food drive. Beginning November 11th and running until November 18th, students will have the chance to drop off non-perishable food items in the student center to be donated to the United Way Organization of Greater Waterbury. Additionally, there will be a dress-down day and a donate-to-play basketball tournament to raise awareness for the drive.
United Way of Greater Waterbury is a nonprofit organization founded in 1943 whose aim is to bring basic needs, education, and financial stability to all members of its community. In their annual report for 2021, the president Lisa Tepper Bates said, “We helped CT residents find COVID testing and vaccination sites, assisted people seeking resources to meet basic needs, offered those in crisis connection to services, provided guidance for parents seeking help with a young child’s developmental issue, and assisted struggling families to secure much-needed child care subsidies.” Around 88% of every dollar donated to United Way was used to support the Waterbury community, showing the organization’s dedication to serving those in need. Some of their services include The Healthy Food Initiative, assisting over 7,000 people per month, and The Home Visiting & Literacy Initiative, which donates 10,000 books to low-income children annually. Gunn is excited to contribute to an organization that so abundantly gives back to the community.
Thanks to Avery Clement, who reached out to United Way over the summer, Gunn Gives Back hopes that FGS students will be excited to give. Not only because of the planned basketball tournament and dress-down day but also because of the great service they can provide to such an active and impassioned organization. As the FGS community passes through November, giving thanks for the many blessings we share, we also hope to give back to our community by improving the lives of those around us.
