As the holiday season advances, the desire to give back to our community rises. Here at Franklin, the Associated Student Body (ASB) recently hosted its time-honored holiday program, FHS Gives Back. This year, FHS Gives Back was run by ASB District Liaison Margaret Garringer and Student Senate Head Elina Minato.
Minato describes the program as one of the biggest ways that Franklin ASB gives back to the community. From Nov. 13 to Dec. 12, donation boxes were set up in Franklin’s main hallway. Donations welcomed included nonperishable food items, clothing, books, toys, gift cards, and hygiene products. Once donations were gathered, ASB worked with school counselors and social workers to distribute donations to families in need before winter break. On Dec. 16 they hosted a wrapping party, where community members helped wrap donations for distribution.
Giving back to the community is something both Garringer and Minato find to be incredibly important. “[FHS Gives Back is] one of my favorite events because I get to help people [in my] community,” shares Minato. Garringer adds, “especially with the recent state of things in our country, anything we can do to give back to families [who] need support is great.”
One of the biggest problems FHS Gives Back faces is a lack of engagement from community members in need. “Students have to ask their counselors or other support staff to receive donations,” explains Minato, and this year there are especially few families signed up to receive. In future years, both ASB members hope to increase that engagement through expanding communication regarding the program. Minato adds that she would like to see ASB run a longer, potentially year-round program. “[People] struggle the whole year, not just the holiday season,” she explains.
There is also a new program at Franklin started by Step Up and facilitated by Franklin staff that helps families and community members year-round — the Franklin Food Pantry. Garringer explains that ASB assists the Food Pantry as well, and any extra items from FHS Gives Back will be contributed to the program. “We’re making sure that regardless of how many people sign up and how many donations we get, we’re going to be giving everything to people in our community.”
Garringer encourages anyone who can to donate to the Franklin Food Pantry and to FHS Gives Back next winter, and anyone who needs any assistance throughout the year or just the holiday season to consider signing up to receive donations. Giving back to our communities can be a wonderful way to bring warmth and joy into these dark months, so go share some holiday spirit!
