Students Work To Give Neighbors Happy Thanksgiving
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Local high school students are making sure their neighbors celebrate Thanksgiving with turkey and all the fixings. Mary Bubala reports in the heart of east Baltimore stands the Institute of Notre Dame, a Catholic, all-girls high school.
Days before Thanksgiving, IND students donate and deliver special care packages with all the necessary ingredients for a Thanksgiving meal--including a turkey. It's a special outreach project that literally reaches across the street.
Each year, the students deliver Thanksgiving boxes to more than 60 families in the Latrobe Homes public housing on Aisquith Street.
"In the literal sense, we are really giving back to the community what you are supposed to do during Thanksgiving," said student Regina Bieneman.
"I have been really blessed. God bless them, too," said Latrobe Homes resident Rachel Witherspoon.
The young women are called Hildie's Helpers after Sister Hildie, who started the project at IND more than 30 years ago.
"It starts with Hildie's Helpers but in the whole school, that brings them in--faculty, staff, students, everybody," Sister Hildie said.
"We have a lot of opportunities, being, like, right inside of the city and we use a lot of the neighborhood to do a lot of activities and it's great to be able to give back to this neighborhood," said student Aimee Petrides.
Sixty-four families got the special Thanksgiving package Tuesday afternoon from IND.
Hildie's Helpers also distribute food and other items to their neighbors throughout the entire school year.
