Hampton Helps for the Holidays

                                                                                          By Hampton Herald Staff

    Hampton Elementary is helping people in need this holiday season.  Each year Hampton Elementary holds a food drive, and this year they continued the tradition despite the unusual circumstances.  In previous years, students at Hampton brought the food to their computer lab and then the student council sorted it into separate bags.  This year, families were asked to donate a complete bag filled with all the things people would need for Thanksgiving dinner.  People drove to Hampton to drop off the filled bags.  Hampton staff members and  PTA members took the bags to the Assistance Center of Towson Churches where people in the area came to pick them up.  Some people misunderstood and thought that Hampton was giving out food.   However, because of the amount of donations, Hampton staff were able to provide food for those people.

       Another way that Hampton helps support people in need during the holiday season is by donating gift cards to Walmart and Target.  Mrs. Allison Dyer, a counselor at Hampton, said that she likes to use gift cards so that people can have the experience of shopping for their families.  The PTA called this initiative the Holiday Wish List Drive, and it was conducted entirely online this year.  According to Melissa Heick-Rodola, the PTA’s Community Outreach Coordinator, the Hampton school community made over $2,000 in donations.  In addition to those donations, a Towson area church also contacted Mrs. Dyer and offered to donate extra gift cards to Hampton families in need.

    The Hampton school community has always been willing to help.  Mrs. Dyer said that there has always been some type of food drive since she started working at Hampton. Originally it started as a canned goods drive and has evolved into creating food bags for the Assistance Center of Towson Churches.  Mrs. Dyer said that Hampton has never had a year when they didn’t have something to donate.  This year more than ever, Hampton wanted to make sure that families and members of the community had people taking care of them.

    “It’s really important for those of us who can to work together to help people out,” Mrs. Dyer said.  Members of the Hampton school community have taken that message in stride.   Lots of families have been contacting the school this year to see what else they can do to help those need.
  
​ If our readers are looking for ways to continue to help Hampton families and the Hampton community, joining the PTA or following them on social media are great ways to keep up-to-date on opportunities to help.