“The idea of helping someone else during the holiday really moved me this year,” recalls senior Jeneva Wheeler.  Wheeler donated more money than the required $5 of students for Mercy’s annual Focus:Hope Food Drive.

This giving spirit has touched many students. Classrooms were filled with donated nonperishable groceries this week. Mercy girls gave their time by unloading, organizing, and packing individual boxes to be distributed to senior citizens in need this Thanksgiving. The school was able to raise over $5,000 for Focus: Hope to purchase perishable food for those in need for the holiday and filled half of a Focus:Hope semi-truck with nonperishable food.

The Focus:Hope Food Drive moderators (Mrs. Dennis, Mr. Meloche, Ms. Callan, Ms. Harkness, Mrs. Scheid, and Mrs. Arlen) worked tirelessly to encourage students to give back. They made announcements and sent emails to get Mercy girls motivated about one of Mercy’s values, option for the poor. With their help, students were able to make a difference while living out Mercy’s mission.

Thanksgiving is a time filled with warm feelings of appreciation and love. Thanks to the hard work of everyone in the Mercy community and Focus:Hope.  Many senior citizens will be able to embrace these feelings over a warm meal.