Editor’s Note: This is a series focused on needs and volunteering opportunities in the Owatonna Community.

The holidays are hard for a lot of families. To help kids in need at OHS during, there will be a food and cash drive for the holidays. It started on Dec. 4 and will run until  Dec. 22. The food and cash drive in previous years has been run by OHS social worker Mrs. Nancy Williams, however, the student council will be helping her run it this year.

For the  drive, anyone can donate money, food, mittens, hats and scarfs. For every dollar, food item, pair of mittens, hat or scarf donated, one’s name will be entered that many times in a raffle that will be drawn during HoHo bingo on Friday, Dec. 22. The prizes for the raffle include a free parking spot in the tennis court lot for the rest of the school year, gift cards, prom tickets and after prom tickets. Donations can be brought to Mrs. Roxi Stewart in the career center. The non-monetary items will be put under a christmas tree.

This cause is important because it directly affects the students at OHS. All students at OHS are important, and some will need food during the holidays. Many receive free breakfast and lunch from school, so during the holidays they will not be able to get these meals. One OHS student, who will be benefited said, “We will not have a normal holiday this year. I don’t even know if I can remain at the place I am currently at. Any help at all with food, winter clothes or money would be amazing.”

Everything that is donated will be given out to students in need by Mrs. Williams.  Williams said, “We have at OHS over 25 kids that qualify as what the school calls homeless.” Mrs. Williams and the counseling staff will be in charge of making sure donations go to the students who need them. They plan to use the money to buy gift cards to target and Walmart and give them to the students who need the money for food, shampoo, soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste and deodorant. As for the food, they plan on putting it into boxes and delivering them to students. Because lunches are not served at OHS over break, these items prove necessary for students who wouldn’t have food.

There are many OHS students that this will affect greatly one student said, “I am currently living with a friend because I have no home.” There are many more students at OHS who live in similar situations. These are students at OHS, and they need the community’s help. Even the small donations will help. The student also said, “I can’t thank kids at OHS enough for thinking of others who are in a much worse financial situation than they are. Any little bit helps those of us that literally have nothing.”

Last year this event raised over 1,000 dollars in cash donations and a lot of food items. Please consider helping out these students this year so they can make it through the holiday season. Donations will be accepted until Dec. 22 in the career center to Ms. Stewart.