LINDEN PUBLIC SCHOOLS, NJ โ In the quiet rustle of donation bins and the steady hum of school hallways, something extraordinary unfolded these past three weeks across Linden Public Schools. What began as a simple call -- โLetโs Share & Careโ -- swelled into a full-hearted, districtwide movement of generosity that touched more than 100 Linden families just in time for Thanksgiving.
From November 3 to 21, boxes and bags poured in: canned vegetables stacked like little towers of hope, boxes of pasta, stuffing mixes, cereals, soups, rice, baking ingredientsโtiny acts of kindness gathered into mountains. Every school played a part. Every classroom seemed to send something forward. And every hand that dropped an item into a bin added to a growing story of community at its best.
Ryan Devaney, Supervisor of Student Services, witnessed it all, from the first few donations to the final sorting sessions.
โStudents, staff members, and the community contributed steadily throughout the drive,โ he said, reflecting on the pace of generosity. โOur school counselors and social workers were the engine behind this effortโreaching out to families, organizing supplies, and making sure each donation found a home for Thanksgiving.โ
And then came the partners who pushed the effort over the top. A special assist from the Linden Superior Officerโs Association (LPSOA) and the Linden PBA, along with the cityโs social services department, transformed the food drive into something even more powerful. Their donation of turkeys and all the trimmings meant families didnโt just receive pantry itemsโthey received the makings of a true Thanksgiving feast. Warm plates. Familiar flavors. A holiday filled with dignity.
Devaney summed it up with a sentiment felt across the district: โInitiatives like this remind us why Linden is such a special place to live and work. When we rally together for our neighbors, thereโs almost nothing we canโt accomplish.โ
This yearโs food drive wasnโt just a collectionโit was a chorus. Students carrying cereal boxes like trophies. Staff members sorting cans in assembly-line bursts. Parents dropping off extra bags โjust in case someone needs it.โ A community leaning forward, not back.
And now, as Thanksgiving arrives, more than 100 families will gather around their tablesโtables that will be fuller, brighter, and warmer because their community wrapped them in care.
In Linden, kindness didnโt just show up. It showed out.
