Number of Participants: 70
Hours Donated: 10
Value of Time Served: $24,353
Event Type: Hunger
Activity: Schools
School: Bishop Stang High School
Date: November 23, 2025
Location:
Bishop Stang High School
Slocum Road, North Dartmouth
MA
About:
The spirit of service was on full display once again at Bishop Stang High School, where students carried forward the legacy of the Mike O’Brien Thanksgiving Food Drive, a tradition deeply rooted in compassion, leadership, and community impact. Each year, this student-led initiative supports families across the region during the holiday season, and this year’s effort was the most ambitious yet.
Bishop Stang’s Student Council played an essential leadership role in planning and organizing the drive. Members took the lead in informing their homerooms about the project, raising awareness about food insecurity in Massachusetts, and explaining the local organizations that would receive support. Throughout the week before Thanksgiving, representatives coordinated and collected donations from their homerooms, engaging the entire school community. While the council itself includes about 70 students, the drive invited participation from all 482 students and 60 educators, creating a powerful, schoolwide effort.
On the final day of the drive, students gathered in the cafeteria to begin the major task of organizing donations. Council members sorted through items, repacked them, and assembled 50 complete Thanksgiving baskets for families in need. Once everything was ready, students loaded the bus and joined the Student Council Executive Board and their advisor to personally deliver the donations. Their service extended to several community partners. At My Brother’s Keeper in Dartmouth, students delivered all 50 Thanksgiving baskets directly to families. At Sister Rose House in New Bedford, they filled an entire office with bags of non-perishable food—enough to help provide Thanksgiving meals for 300 families, along with families supported by Grace House and Ascension House. The Solanus Casey Food Pantry received its portion of collected items on Friday morning, and students helped load the truck so the pantry could restock shelves and prepare to serve even more families.
This project continues long-standing relationships that Bishop Stang has nurtured for many years. It marks the third consecutive year that students have delivered Thanksgiving baskets to My Brother’s Keeper, increasing their contribution from 35 baskets last year to 50 this year in response to rising community need. Their continued support for Sister Rose House and the Solanus Casey Food Pantry carries forward a tradition connected to former Student Council advisor Mike O’Brien, whose dedication to service continues to inspire students today.
Although an exact count of donated items was not recorded, the impact is unmistakable. Fifty families received full Thanksgiving baskets. Three hundred families at Sister Rose House received non-perishable food for their holiday meals. Grace House, Ascension House, and the Solanus Casey Food Pantry all received additional support to nourish families and replenish shelves.
The Mike O’Brien Thanksgiving Food Drive remains a powerful example of Bishop Stang’s commitment to service, leadership, and community. Through teamwork, compassion, and a willingness to step forward for others, students continue to honor a meaningful tradition while making a lasting difference for families across Massachusetts.
