Service Learning Initiative at North Ridge Primary School

Story & Photos by Brenda Lentsch

In assembly line fashion, four Commack classes joined forces to make lunches for the homeless. North Ridge Primary School students in Mrs. Nichols, Mrs. Sandak, Mrs. Povey, and Mrs. Krug’s classes filled lunch gift bags with “hearty” food for the homeless as part of their monthly Service Learner program.  The lunches were delivered to a local church that is part of the Huntington Interfaith Homeless Initiative (HIHI), which hosts homeless men each night in the winter.  The children made the sandwiches and added snacks, homemade cookies, and water to the gift bags. A representative from HIHI came to Commack to visit and thank the children for all their helpful efforts and said, “All the men were so happy and asked me to say Gracias!”

Photo top: – Jamie Freiberg and Olivia Sadlak assemble the ham and cheese sandwiches, assisted by substitute teacher Casey Farrell.

Photobottom: – The children added snacks to the bags, from left to right: David Peat, Hunter Shirangi, Chloe Massciovecchio, Mehek Sawhney, and Ayham Barakat.