With the holiday season approaching, RMHS is in it’s own season of giving with various club sponsored food drives and awareness programs aimed to help others especially during the pandemic.  

In a year filled with loss, now more than ever there is a need for giving and support for those who were negatively affected by the pandemic. Since the start of the pandemic, students have come together to provide support for those in need. From helping local businesses to donating to charities, members of RMHS have been supportive to the Reading community. 

Throughout the year, RMHS and Reading schools are offering free meals for students including those who are fully remote. This school year free meal program is an extension of the summer meal program and has worked well to help the community especially during these difficult times. Through this program, students between the ages 0-21 can pick up healthy breakfast and lunches at RMHS including meals for weekends. In addition to this, all students receive a free hot breakfast and lunch during school. But, regardless of school plan this year, students have the opportunity to receive free meals. As posted in Principal Boynton’s newsletter “If you have any questions please contact Danielle Collins, School Nutrition Director, at [email protected] or 781-670-2822”

The RMHS Girls Rising Club, a volunteer and women empowerment club is hosting a drive.  As the Officers shared, “The club is committed to promoting feminism worldwide, engaging in community service, and donating whatever funds we can to the Girl Rising Organization, which provides education for girls in developing countries.” To follow this mission, this winter, the club is collecting items for the Women of Finex House which is a shelter that helps women and children in need. “Right now we’re accepting donations for our annual Women’s shelter drive for the Finex house, through December 16th,” the Officers shared. “We hope to give back everything we can to the community, especially around the holidays and during the pandemic when we recognize many more people are struggling.” They are collecting various things from women’s hats, gloves, socks, lotions, toiletries, chapsticks, pajamas, throw blankets and gift cards to CVS, Walgreens or Target. To drop off donations, there are boxes located outside various classrooms at RMHS as well as in front of the Main office. 

As always, the Reading Food pantry is accepting donations, but especially are in need during this holiday season. RMHS juniors, Sabrina Spadafora and Elizabeth Donahue are running a continuation of their November food drive. They led one around Thanksgiving time to help Reading families and are continuing with collecting December donations. Currently they are looking for white tuna, jarred pasta sauce, canned vegetables: beets, spinach, creamed, corn and yams, instant white/brown rice, cookies, crackers (Ritz and Townhouse are most popular), and instant mashed/scalloped/au gratin potatoes.

Also for a Reading Food Pantry Drive, the RMHS National Honors Society will be at all Reading schools in the morning and afternoon the week of December 14th to be a collection center for food item donations. Current National Honors Society members, who are seniors, are working on this project as a way to help the community. Current inductees are also participating as a way to gather hours for the club. 

Spadafora and Donahue are also sponsoring an RMHS Toys for Tots Drive. Toys for Tots is a national organization that collects toys for children in need during the holiday season. They are looking for new unwrapped toys and the donation boxes are inside the RMHS Main Entrance. 

As Principal Boynton in her weekly newsletter shared, the Reading community is extending an invitation to RMHS students to help with Neighborly Notes.  This is part of the project Dementia Friendly Reading, a collaboration between the DKJ Foundation, and Reading Elder and Human Services. The program coordinator shared, “Neighborly Notes is a message writing program that helps our community stay connected to our senior neighbors. The program is easy, fun, and a great way for our seniors to feel connected to our community, especially during this time, when many older adults must remain socially isolated.”  In order to participate, anyone can write notes or messages (no envelope needed) and then drop it in designated mailboxes which are located outside Pleasant Street Center in Reading. Another option is to also be emailing them to [email protected]. 

During the season of giving, the RMHS community is committed to service and hopes to spread love during difficult times. There are always people in need, but especially during this time, Reading is here to help.