Throughout this school year, the Global Awareness Group has made headlines, both in The Fling and regional news sources. From their incredibly successful fundraiser to support victims of the Ukraine war to their recent food drive, the Global Awareness Group has been working actively and diligently to benefit communities close and far.
The recent closing of Stop & Shop in town has left a number of people food insecure as they have a harder time finding accessible and reliable food sources. The town has been trying to find replacements for the Stop & Shop supermarket, but it has been a lengthy and difficult process. The Highland Park Borough Council has implemented plans to meet the needs of the community in the meantime. Some of these short-term solutions include the Borough’s Community Services Transportation, which offers a shuttle bus shopping service for those without access to out-of-town supermarkets.
The Global Awareness Group partnered with the Highland Park Food Pantry to set up a donation box in the high school’s center hall for students and staff to provide pasta, cereal, rice, soup, canned goods, adult diapers, pads, and other essentials for community members who are food insecure. Donations to the Food Pantry were sent to the Recreation Center where they are picked up by those in need.
The Highland Park Community Food Pantry has stepped up to provide for families unable to afford adequate groceries. Maria, a member of the club, emphasizes, “The Food Pantry offers a solution to families struggling financially in Highland Park. It assists those not physically able, financially able, or comfortable going out of town to a more expensive store just to buy groceries. It also helps those who use EBT food cards...as not all stores accept them.”
If you want to contribute to the local effort to combat this issue, the Global Awareness Group may be the club for you. Even if you are not interested in organizing these programs, you can make a difference by participating in food drives, fundraisers, and other upcoming Global Awareness initiatives.