The first annual Freshman Christian Service Day brought together 150 JSerra ninth-graders in a partner program with Catholic Relief Services and Rise for Hunger. Working together, the group packaged 20,000 meals in just three hours. The meals will be sent to Salesian missionaries in Cambodia and then distributed to orphaned children within their missions.
“I loved the service day! It made me feel part of something important to be providing so much food to so many needy children,” said Anthony Aleman, class of 2021.
In addition to packaging boxes comprised of rice, dry vegetables, and soy protein products, the freshmen also wrote letters of support and gratitude to the Marine Corps at Twentynine Palms.
“The Freshman Christian Service Day was such a hit among our students that this will be a yearly event going forward,” said Pat Reidy, vice president of Mission and Faith. “You could see the joy as they worked. They were excited about helping the poor. As a result, they grew together in community. This wasn’t just a blessing for the recipients of these packages and letters but also for our students.”