By Debra Sheffield
The JKV Residents/Orange City Elementary School Partnership has been in existence since 2015. JKV residents and staff have supported this partnership through mentoring programs, assisting with special school events, and conducting fundraising drives for school supplies and food products.
The school began in 1922. It serves approximately 525 students between VPK and 5th grade. It is a Title I school with 83-87 percent of students on a free-lunch program. The school’s Family Center provides food and clothing to families in need.
JKV residents and staff held a food drive from October 23 through November 13 to collect needed food items for the Family Center at Orange City Elementary School.
Food items were collected in the Barker Center and sorted, inventoried and packed by 10 residents over the course of three weeks.
The boxes were loaded and delivered to the school on November 16 for distribution to the students.
The food drive collected almost 4,000 food items, including cans of soup, vegetables, tuna fish, and chicken; cereal and oatmeal; peanut butter and jelly; applesauce, fruit snacks, and pudding and Jell-O cups; Ramen noodles, pasta and pasta sauces, rice, and mac ’n’ cheese; mashed potatoes and stuffing; crackers and peanut butter, crackers and cheese, and granola bars; snack boxes of raisins and nuts; ketchup and mustard; juice boxes; and pop tarts.
It is clear that John Knox Village takes pride in being an active participant in our local community.