As Parkinson Memorial School reaches the impressive 65-year milestone of serving its local area, the institution is choosing to celebrate by lifting up the Pine community that has sustained it for decades: organizers have arranged the distribution of 65 pre-packed food hampers to vulnerable students and local families, offering critical extra support as households navigate financial strains this summer.
The official handover ceremony, hosted on the school’s campus Tuesday, marked the end of a four-month collective effort that brought together current students, teaching and administrative staff, graduating alumni, local businesses and neighborhood residents. This project was rooted in a spirit of reciprocal gratitude, designed to repay the ongoing support the school has received from the community throughout its 65-year history.
Shernell Gill, a teacher on the school’s 65th anniversary planning committee and the food drive’s coordinator, explained the thoughtful symmetry behind the project’s scale. “We set out to assist one vulnerable family for every year our school has existed, while teaching our students the core values of generosity and shared care,” she said. “Recipients include both currently enrolled students’ households and community members outside the school family, ensuring we reach those who need support most across the whole neighborhood.”
From March through June, every student from first to fifth form contributed non-perishable food items to build the hampers, making the initiative a whole-school collective endeavor. Gill emphasized that student engagement was central to the project’s mission: “It’s long been said that giving brings more joy than receiving, and this drive gave our students the chance to live that value out firsthand through action.”
Gill also extended public thanks to the wide network of partners that made the project possible: participating parents, former students, past school principals, the community volunteer group Friends of Parkinson, and three key corporate sponsors, Pine Hill Dairy, Popular Discount Supermarket and Massy Supermarket.
School principal Captain Adrian Ward framed the food drive as a living demonstration of the institution’s commitment to supporting families facing unmanageable financial hardship, especially amid ongoing cost of living increases. “This initiative embodies the shared care we owe one another, particularly when people are in crisis. Right now, far too many local families struggle to cover their basic weekly food costs,” Ward said. “These hampers aren’t just bags of groceries — they’re a tangible expression of our promise to stand by neighbors who need help. This is what our school’s culture of benevolence is all about.”
Ward also expressed sincere gratitude to every person and organization that contributed over the four-month campaign. “Your willingness to give is the true spirit of community,” he said. “To the families receiving these hampers: please know they are given with respect, genuine care, and the sincere hope that they will ease some of the pressure you’re facing. Our core mission has always been to build a school community where every single family feels valued, supported, and included — and this drive lives that mission out.”
For the school, the project also represents a long-awaited chance to reverse the usual flow of support. “Every year, we reach out to the community to ask for help funding our student programs and initiatives. This year, it was our turn to give back to the neighbors who have given us so much,” Ward explained.
Sabrina Waithe, a representative from corporate partner Pine Hill Dairy, noted that the collaboration was a perfect alignment of values: the company is also celebrating its own 60th anniversary this year, and feeding local communities is central to its brand mission. “We loved what Parkinson is doing here — they’re going beyond traditional education to inspire generosity, care for neighbors, and meet immediate needs, which lines up exactly with what we stand for as a business,” Waithe said.
She added that the hampers could not come at a more critical time for local households grappling with soaring living costs. “Money is tight for so many families right now. This hamper won’t just put food on the table — it will free up extra cash to cover a utility bill, or let a parent treat their kid to something special. It’s so moving that the school prioritizes supporting its own students and community, and I’m truly proud our company got to be part of this.”
Waithe also praised organizers for centering student participation in the drive, noting that the project builds lifelong values of generosity in young people. “It’s so wonderful that you got students involved in donating items and building the hampers. That hands-on experience teaches them from a young age to think about people who are less fortunate than they are, and to make giving back a regular part of their lives,” she said.
Looking ahead, organizers plan to turn the milestone food drive into a longstanding tradition. Going forward, the school will mark each anniversary by distributing a number of hampers equal to the school’s age, continuing to embed the spirit of giving and community service in every new generation of Parkinson students, Gill confirmed.