Loveland Intermediate School and Loveland Middle School students walked donations from their buildings down the street to the L.I.F.E. Pantry during the 2017 Pass-it-On drive, an annual tradition. (Provided Photo)

Tiger Family helps to ‘Pass-it-On’ during annual food drive

Loveland, Ohio – A Holiday Box with all of the fixings – decorative holiday napkins included – with enough food to serve families for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Hanukkah. That was the gift to more than 200 Loveland families thanks to a community pulling together, and a 17-year partnership between the Loveland City School District and Loveland L.I.F.E. Pantry. The Tiger Family donated nearly 8,000 items during the November Pass-it-On donation drive.

“Thanks to the enormous efforts of our team working with the school – the teachers and students, parents, and police officers, the L.I.F.E. Pantry was able to serve 207 area families,” said L.I.F.E. Pantry Director Linda Bergholz. “The blessings of this community are abundant, and we are both humbled and grateful for the outpouring of our school community.”

Families picked up the Holiday Boxes from the pantry on Saturday, Nov. 18. The pantry provided families with additional fresh items, some donated from area businesses, as well as gift certificates for the main course for the two meals. This year, the pantry also provided recipe cards for each family so they could make traditional holiday foods, like green bean casserole, sweet potatoes with marshmallows, and even hot cocoa with marshmallows, too – and clients could taste-test the delicious recipes at box pick-up.  

“Our Preschool through fourth graders collected over 2,500 items towards making winter holiday meal baskets for families right here in our own district,” said Stacy Fitzgibbon, LEPTA Pass-it-On chairperson.

“Our Preschool through fourth graders collected over 2,500 items towards making winter holiday meal baskets for families right here in our own district,” said Stacy Fitzgibbon, LEPTA Pass-it-On chairperson. “This is my third year helping with Pass-it-On, and the generosity this community exhibits with its time and resources always amazes me.”

“For the 17th year, Pass-it-On has been a great partnership between Loveland Schools and L.I.F.E. Food Pantry,” said Lauren Aiello, M/INT Pass-it-On Chairperson. “The fifth through eighth grades at Loveland Intermediate School and Loveland Middle School collected over 5,200 items toward the holiday baskets. That is twice what was requested! Loveland’s generosity to its neighbors is inspiring, and shows just one aspect of our wonderful community. We couldn’t do any of this without the families taking part, teachers supporting our efforts, and the volunteers who help pull all of this together.”