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Photograph by Jacqueline Ramseyer
Lucky Pennies: Students at Capri Elementary School count the proceeds collected during the school's two-week-long Penny Drive.
Elementary school raises funds for needy families
By Melissa Matchak
Capri Elementary School in Campbell believes in giving back to its students and their families. For the second year in a row, Capri is holding a drive to raise funds to feed as many of the school's needy families as possible.
For one week, students bring pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters or dollars to their classrooms. At the end of the week, the money is counted and the number of families Thanksgiving dinners can be purchased for is decided.
This year, the 33 students in the GATE--Gifted And Talented Education--program at Capri counted the pennies collected from the drive during the afternoon of Nov. 15. Capri Principal Debbi Garcia said the drive is a way for the school to help the families of their students.
"It's a way of serving our own," Garcia said. "The families feel proud to get the food, and are so thankful."
After the money is totaled, parent volunteers buy the food necessary for a complete Thanksgiving dinner: including a turkey, mashed potatoes, green beans, stuffing and pie.
The families, who are eligible to receive food, are drawn from the list of students who are recipients of Capri's free and reduced-cost lunch program. Garcia said as many families as possible are given the Thanksgiving food boxes.
According to Garcia, 21 percent of Capri's students come from low-income families. Last year, the drive provided dinners for 15 families, and Garcia hopes to provide for more families this year.
All the money from the drive goes toward the dinners for the needy families, and Garcia said the cost of each dinner is approximately $20. She said any leftover money goes toward gift certificates to help buy Christmas dinners for the same families who received Thanksgiving dinner.
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Campbell, California
