On Friday, November 22, 2024, an SUV — in this case, a “Support” Utility Vehicle — crammed full of donated food items delivered the results of Oak Knoll’s Annual Thanksgiving Food Drive to the Pierre Toussaint Food Bank in Newark, New Jersey. The items will assist the organization in filling holiday food baskets containing fresh produce, eggs, canned goods, grains, and a turkey each to support over 350 families in need this Thanksgiving.

Members of the Oak Knoll Community have been donating items to collection bins in the Lower and Upper Schools for almost a month. As is customary, the drive culminated with families bringing their final food offerings to the Thanksgiving Community Mass held in the Grace Hall Chapel on November 17 this year. Oak Knoll families, faculty, and staff donated over 800 individual items this year.

Sisters Linda Klaiss and Maureen Walsh of the Sisters of St. Joseph — who have volunteered their time for over 20 years serving individuals requiring assistance in that community — were on hand to receive the dozens of overflowing donation bags. “We depend on people like those in the Oak Knoll community to make this happen each year,” said Sister Klaiss. 

The pantry has served individuals experiencing economic hardship in Newark for more than 23 years and was named after Pierre Toussaint, an early African-American philanthropist and formerly enslaved Haitian whom the Pope has proclaimed Venerable as part of the canonization process. The pantry is a Catholic Charities MEND Hunger Relief Organization member and a division of St. Mary’s Church in Newark. Visit their website for information on donating food items, financial support, or volunteering to help.

Oak Knoll student body, faculty, staff, and parents fulfill Holy Child Founder Cornelia Connelly’s desire to “meet the wants of the age” throughout the school year. In addition to an extensive commitment to service work across all grade levels, community members contribute to various holiday drives and our upcoming annual Christmas toy and clothing drives.