Brooklyn Education: Fontbonne reaches out to others

During the holiday season, the Fontbonne Hall Academy community demonstrated its trademark spirit of giving through a variety of outreach projects.

The student organization Lifestream held a food collection, with each homeroom creating a food basket that would provide a complete Thanksgiving meal for a family. Twenty-eight baskets were made.

They were picked up by Christine Johnson Maxwell, a member of the Class of 1988, with representatives from P.S. 200, and delivered to families in need. She was assisted by her daughter, Rose Maxwell, Lifestream club president and a member of the Class of 2015. Lifestream also held its annual coat drive, collecting 98 winter coats.

An additional food collection was made to help stock the OLPH food pantry.  Sister Lucille, who runs the pantry, attended Fontbonne’s Day of Gratitude Mass and thanked the students for their continued support. Students filled the school van to transport the food to the OLPH pantry.

The National Honor Society hosted an Ugly Christmas Sweater Contest.  Students could dress down for a $2 contribution and compete for prizes. Proceeds were donated to Pietro’s Fight. The National Honor Society also organized a toy drive, and students donated beautifully wrapped new toys that certainly put smiles on the faces of many children.

On December 22, Ms. Madonia and the McKinley students who are part of the “I Love Me” campaign spread holiday cheer by distributing toys to the students at HeartShare.

This was the third consecutive year that McKinley students and teachers donated new toys to HeartShare.  Everyone was happy to be part of a very special day. Ms. Madonia is a guidance counselor and the founder of the “I Love Me” campaign at McKinley.

St. Joseph High School held a coat drive spearheaded by Suzanne Sonpon ’16. Concerned about New Yorkers in need this winter, students collected approximately 50 coats to donate to New York Cares.