With the holiday season coming up, the ASB is planning additional drives this year to spread the holiday cheer to the less fortunate.
On Nov. 5, the ASB started a new drive for Operation Gratitude, which donates leftover Halloween candy to deployed troops overseas.
“It is a great cause and giving back to the troops who give so much to us means a great deal considering how small of a contribution it is,” head commissioner senior Stephanie Tsang said. “It doesn't take a lot of effort to bring in a bag of candy and the joy it brings to the soldiers is priceless.”
In addition, the ASB, along with the Community Commission, started the Second Harvest food drive on Nov. 14 which ended the last day before Thanksgiving break.
“We live in such an affluent community that it is almost effortless for each person to donate a couple of cans to families who otherwise cannot afford a Thanksgiving feast like we have,” Tsang said. “It’s a great cause and it always feels good to help others who don’t have as much as you do.”
Right after Thanksgiving break, the ASB will also start the annual Giving Tree, a drive that donates gifts to less fortunate children. This provides wish cards that children have filled out with what they want for the holidays. These cards can be found in the office.
“The tag I picked asked for a purse or some accessories,” senior My-Lan Le, who participated in the Giving Tree drive last year, said. “[Giving a gift] was something easy to do for someone, and the specificity of the request makes the donation seem more personal.”