Midshipmen from 14th Company stack donated food for the Giving from the Heart Thanksgiving Food Drive Nov. 14. Mids have been collecting food for the drive since Oct. 15. Photo courtesy of Lt. Michelle Collins.
Naval Academy Midshipmen are taking time out of their own preparations for the holiday season to give some hope and charity to those less fortunate.
Since Oct. 15, Midshipmen from 14th Company collected and assembled baskets with Thanksgiving food items collected throughout the Academy during the Giving from the Heart Thanksgiving Food Drive and delivered them to local charities.
‘‘Our mission is to provide Thanksgiving food to local charities that serve families in need in the greater Annapolis area,” said Midn. 1⁄C Kevin Cuomo, the Midshipman in charge of the food drive.
Collection boxes were placed in front lobbies of academic buildings, as well as Halsey Field House, Macdonough Hall and Bancroft Hall, to accept donations of non-perishable food items from Midshipmen, faculty, and staff.
After collecting the boxes, the Midshipmen of 14th company put together over 500 baskets filled with instant mashed potatoes, canned pumpkin pie filling, instant stuffing mix, canned vegetables, canned cranberry sauce and gravy.
Turkeys donated by the Naval Academy Chaplain Corps helped round out each basket into a full Thanksgiving dinner for a family. The donations resulted in more than $8000 worth of food and gift cards.
‘‘It’s nice since we’re such a big body of people that we can get a lot done,” said Cuomo. ‘‘This is one of those events where we accomplish a lot. We’ll fill up a whole hallway with food.”
Volunteers took time out of their Sunday on Nov. 15 to deliver the baskets to Annapolis charities such as The Lighthouse Shelter, the Lutheran Mission Society and Asbury United Methodist Church. These charities will provide the meals to families in need in the greater Annapolis area.
This year the goal was to fill over 400 baskets total. For the Midshipman in charge of next year’s food drive, it’s all about getting out into the local area.
‘‘We’re all coming from a community,” said Midn. 2⁄C Amanda Buckley, one of the event’s coordinators who will be in charge of the food drive next year. ‘‘When you’re away from home, it’s good to connect with the community we’re in.”
Cuomo said that with all of the business of the holidays, it can help to come back to earth by doing some volunteer work, and give some cheer to those who need it. Events like these give the Academy a good name.
‘‘It’s good to see the energy of the Brigade put into a positive direction,” said Cuomo.
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