The Michigan City High School Student Council is once again coordinating a city-wide “drive-through” food drive. Students and staff throughout Michigan City Area Schools are collecting food, and the community is invited to participate. 

Donations of non-perishable food items will be collected at The Salvation Army of Michigan City (1201 Franklin Street) on Saturday, December 21 from 9:00 am to Noon, and all items collected will benefit The Salvation Army of Michigan City food pantry.

The food drive has become a tradition for MCAS, held before the holidays each year to benefit those in need. Last year it generated more than 8.7 tons of canned goods and other non-perishable items. Due to the high volume of donations, the Student Council decided to move the event from its previous location at Ames Field, to facilitate the collection and sorting process.

The December 21 food collection will take place in a drive-through format at the The Salvation Army (1201 Franklin Street). The public should enter from Washington Street to donate using the pantry driveway. Students and staff volunteers will be on hand to collect items from those driving through. Monetary donations for The Salvation Army also will be accepted at the event.

“Our community really steps up and helps take care of each other - and we want to be part of giving back and making a difference,” said MCHS Student Council President Bailey Chavis. “This is why we are continuing the tradition of hosting this food drive, at a time when people need it most.”

As in the past, this collection drive will have an element of competition, as well. All MCAS schools will be competing to claim a traveling trophy to display over the next year. Food will be weighed and credited to the donor’s Michigan City school of choice. The school collecting the most food (based on weight, adjusted for school size) will receive the coveted trophy. Many schools across the district will be collecting in advance, in anticipation of the final weigh-in.

In conjunction with the food drive, the MCHS National Honor Society is collecting new (or nearly new) books for children and teens through its “Operation Bookworm” drive. The community is invited to donate books by dropping them off at The Salvation Army on December 21, as well. Books will be donated to The Salvation Army for distribution during the holidays.