The Lower, Middle, and Upper Schools are hosting a Holiday food drive to collect items for the Community Food Pantry of Sleepy Hollow and Tarrytown.
You can participate in the annual Holiday Food Drive by dropping off non-perishable food items in the bins and tables at the entrance hallway by the Lower School Office, outside of the main office in the Middle School, and in front of Ms. Coy’s office in the Upper School.
All donations will be taken to the Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow Food Pantry, an organization that Hackley has a longstanding relationship with. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic causing increases in food bank demands, the expiration of federal assistance programs like stimulus payments, and the growing unemployment rate, the school has decided to focus its service efforts on local food insecurity.
The Community Food Pantry provides food to Sleepy Hollow and Tarrytown residents who need assistance through monthly grocery distributions. Before the pandemic, the Food Pantry served food to approximately 275 families once a month. Now, during the pandemic, they serve food to 900 families with distributions twice a month.
Statistics like this are what Mrs. Washington’s Civic Engagement Class have shared as they’ve taken over Hackley’s Facebook and Instagram to share information about the complexities of food insecurity on the local and national level, hoping that their information will inspire viewers to participate in the food collection. The class also put together a video on food insecurity and information about the food drive, sharing this video with grades K-12 during homeroom.

The Holiday Food Drive ends tomorrow, so please use this last opportunity to contribute.