The 5th Annual Thanksgiving Meal Distribution showed again what happens when a community refuses to let families face the holidays alone. What started five years ago as a response to rising food insecurity has become a steady tradition built on partnership and the belief that every family deserves to feel supported as they gather for Thanksgiving.
This year, the School District of Lancaster joined with the Lancaster Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Bright Side Opportunities Center, The Mix, and Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology to provide holiday meal bags to families across the district. These partners combined their resources, volunteers, and networks to create one of the largest and most coordinated efforts to date.
Thanks to generous food donations and monetary contributions, the initiative gathered enough items to support about 150 families. SDoL social workers identified 109 SDoL families who would benefit from receiving a meal bag. 10 additional families living within district boundaries but attending school elsewhere were connected through the Pathways program. The remaining bags will support families served by our partner organizations, ensuring that the impact reaches beyond our school walls.
Each meal bag contained the ingredients needed for a complete Thanksgiving dinner, but the distribution represented far more than a collection of items. It was a moment of reassurance for families who continue to face rising grocery costs, housing instability, transportation challenges, or difficulty accessing community resources.
“We recognize that with the increase in food insecurities and the challenges families face around the holidays, providing support with meals goes a long way,” Jassinya Alvarado, Director of Educational Access and Opportunity shared. “Many families do not ask for help and often do not know where to look for support. That is why this partnership matters.”
SDoL social workers played a central role in making this possible. They reached out to families directly, secured consent, coordinated logistics, and ensured transportation barriers did not prevent anyone from receiving a holiday meal. Some even delivered meal bags to homes, offering help in a way that felt personal and dignified. Their work reflects the district’s commitment to equity and care for every student and family.
The partnership with Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology provided additional strength to this year’s effort, expanding volunteer capacity and reinforcing the shared responsibility our community holds for supporting families. Each partner brought something vital. The sorority continued its longstanding service to Lancaster families. The Mix served as a welcoming distribution site. Bright Side Opportunities Center helped connect families and resources. Thaddeus Stevens contributed volunteers and support. They created a network of generosity that would not be possible alone.
As we reflect on five years of this annual tradition, gratitude sits at the heart of the work.
“I am grateful and thankful for this partnership,” Jassinya shared. “The amount of families we have been able to help over the past five years speaks to how our community comes together to support our families.”
The School District of Lancaster extends heartfelt appreciation to every volunteer, donor, school, organization, and community member who made this year’s distribution possible. Because of you, families across Lancaster will sit down to Thanksgiving dinner feeling supported, valued, and connected to a community that cares.
This is what partnership looks like.
This is what community feels like.
This is Lancaster.
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