Mercy kicked off its annual Focus Hope food drive this week. Focus Hope is a non-profit Detroit-based organization that aids minorities’ education and training.

For over 20 years, Mercy has participated in this food drive, which provides senior citizens in the Detroit and metropolitan area with Thanksgiving meals. The senior citizens who are serviced must meet certain criteria, many of whom live below the poverty line. Last year Mercy filled up half of a semi-truck with donations, and to date, Mercy is the second largest contributor behind Ford Motor Company.

Each student and teacher is given a paper bag to fill with non-perishable food items. In addition, a donation of $5 is requested to provide perishable items, such as ham or turkey. On the final day of the drive during an extended advisee group, students box the donations and make personalized cards for the recipients.

Each advisor nominates an upperclassman as a group facilitator. These students are in charge of reminding their groups to bring food, providing them with paper bags, and loading donations.

“Imagine not having a meal; we’re trying to unite Mercy to bring food for these people,” said advisee facilitator Brandi Gulla. “The most rewarding part is that we’re using our own hard earned money to impact someone.”

Gulla echoes the mission of the food drive: impact. When each member of the Mercy community does her part, countless lives are touched. However, this year the contributions are not ‘rolling in’.

“Without our contributions they wouldn’t have a Thanksgiving,” said food drive chair Ms. Cheryl Corte. “This is the perfect opportunity to live out the Mercy values; we need a greater response from the girls to rally behind these seniors.”

Focus Hope needs Mercy’s contributions to provide sustenance for those who otherwise would go without. This is the time to show our true colors as women of Mercy, and help those in need. The drive ends on Monday, Nov. 24, when all the donations will be loaded onto a semi-truck to distributed by Focus Hope.