Jesuit High School is currently halfway done with its annual Food Drive, “Operation Cratchit,” which it hosts from Nov. 26 to Dec 7. All proceeds go to Stanford Settlement, a charity that provides food to low-income families. Participating is a great way for students to give back during the holiday season.

A tradition that dates back to almost the very beginning of the school, Jesuit’s food drive has given Stanford Settlement the resources they need to greatly expand the number of families they serve. Recently, the Executive Council interviewed Sister Jeanne, the executive director of Stanford Settlement for the past 42 years, to talk about Jesuit’s impact on the program.

“Without [Jesuit’s] Food Drive, we would not be able to help the number of people that we help,” said Sister Jeanne. “Before Jesuit became involved, we were able to help maybe between 100 and 200 families, and now, because of Jesuit, we are able to help at least 700 families with food for Christmas.”

However, the turnout for the drive so far has fallen flat compared to the last few years. As the goal for the drive is to fill an entire truck, Jesuit students have a long way to go.

“We really do need more cans,” said Vincent Difiore ’19, an executive council member. “It has been a slow start this year compared to last year.”

Social Science Teacher Mr. Tom McGuire, who has been working at Jesuit since 1981, helps collect food every morning and hopes to motivate more students to participate in the drive.

“Ideally, a student realizes that a family will not have the kind of Christmas that we expect unless they get out and do something,” said Mr. McGuire. “This is not something that everybody can sit back and let ten percent of the student population do all the work. This is something that is going to require the entire student body to participate.”

In the next few days, students at Jesuit need to rise to the occasion and bring in cans. Many Sacramento-area families depend on the food we collect, and we do not want to let them down.

Food can be dropped off in the back of the parking lot every morning before school for the rest of the week. Let’s fill this trailer, Marauders, and show that we are truly “Men for Others.”