Students and staff across the school district are donating canned food and children’s books, contributing toys and shopping for community members needing support during the holiday season. Here’s a sampling:

• Silver School students and staff are adopting several families again this year by providing food and gifts of toys and clothing. Blue School is supporting the collection of food for these families as well.

• The Newberg Fire Department’s Toy and Joy Drive is getting a hand from schools. Joan Austin Elementary School families and the NHS Interact club are collecting toys to be distributed to local families through the program. Leadership students at Chehalem Valley Middle School are organizing their annual Toy Drive. Donations will be included in the Newberg Fire Department program. You may participate by bringing a new, unwrapped toy to the Chehalem Valley office by December 10th.

• Dundee, Mabel Rush and Ewing Young elementary schools are collecting books which will be distributed through the Reading For All literacy program serving Yamhill County. Book donations may be made to the school. Contact Michele Bergeron 503-434-7326 for more information.

• The Ewing Young school community is also supporting school families through donations made through the school’s Giving Tree. Contact Katie Waalkes or Kevin Hall at 503-554-4750 to learn how you can be part of this generous tradition.

• Mabel Rush Elementary families are donating food baskets through the Mabel Rush Giving Tree will support needy school families this holiday. Donations may be brought to the Mabel Rush lobby through December 15th.

• The Mountain View Middle School staff and students are selecting gift tags on the Giving Tree and turning them into holiday gifts for local families. You are welcome to participate by choosing a tag from the tree and bringing your unwrapped donation to the school counseling office by December 13th. Please contact Renee in the counseling office at 503-554-4507.

• The Annual Sharing Tree will once again be set up outside the main office at Antonia Crater Elementary. It will be decorated with “ornament tags” that are each labeled with a specific item. Students may select ornament tags from the tree, purchase the item listed on the tag and return the items under the tree by December 17th.  Food boxes are then packed and will be delivered anonymously to Crater Families during Winter Break.