Youngsters will learn about helping others

HOWELL — This Thanksgiving, some of Howell's biggest philanthropists will be coming in pint-size packages.

The children at Lil'Achievers, an early childhood learning center, are participating in the preschool's first Thanksgiving food drive, an event that aims to benefit less-fortunate township residents.

The food drive, which began on Nov. 2, is accepting donated perishable and nonperishable food items during regular operating hours, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturdays until Nov. 19. The preschool is at 326 Ford Road.

"This really goes with our curriculum of giving thanks and helping others. So we wanted to take it a step further and show how to reach out and give to people less fortunate," said Lil'Achievers director and food drive coordinator Jennifer Servino. "You're only as big as your community involvement."

The food drive will benefit Howell Emergency Food Pantry Inc., a food bank for residents of Farmingdale and Howell. The Adelphia Road food pantry, which requests diapers and personal hygiene products in addition to nonperishable food, dispenses food on the last Monday of every month from 3 to 7 p.m. Food is also distributed before holidays and on an emergency basis as well.

"We were looking for something local that would directly affect the people in the area," Servino said. "We were considering churches in the area as well, but the Howell [Emergency Food] Pantry was the most well-known organization, and we knew they would put their best foot forward."

Lil'Achievers is an early childhood learning center that welcomes children as young as 6 weeks old through kindergarten age.

Pupils are separated into different programs of study by age — lil'beginners, lil'explorers, lil'discoverers, lil'achievers and kindergartners — and each program teaches and promotes different skills. The school also hosts a before- and after-care program and a lil'adventurers summer camp.

"We just opened this year, so we wanted to really reach out and make an impact. It was important to make an effort to rally the community behind a good cause," said Lil'Achievers spokeswoman Shannon Furey.

Lil'Achievers teachers will be incorporating activities about giving and charity into lesson plans, and students will be helping to construct the drop-off boxes, Servino said.

"It's all about learning and understanding," she said. "They will be decorating the boxes with typical Thanksgiving decorations, but with a lesson tied to it."

According to Servino, the most needed nonperishable holiday items are stuffing, gravy, ready-to-eat canned meals, canned sweet potatoes, canned yams, canned vegetables, canned hams, canned fruits, cranberry sauce, tuna, peanut butter and jelly, instant potatoes, pasta, rice, macaroni and cheese, canned and boxed juices, and canned and dry soup. Even perishable items such as frozen turkeys and fresh hams are accepted.

Furey said all residents are welcome to participate in the effort.

"It's for anyone who lives in the communitywhowants to make a difference in someone's life," Furey said. "And having the location at Lil'Achievers makes it very convenient for people to quickly drop off some food and leave."

Furey and Servino said the preschool plans to parlay the Thanksgiving food drive into a holiday toy drive during December. While no details have been confirmed yet, Servino said the toy drive will most likely benefit local residents as well.

"I want to really research an organization that will help Howell families that cannot afford Christmas [and other holidays], especially during these hard times," she said. "But we're not sure what we're doing yet."

But there is one thing Lil'Achievers does know for sure — 'tis the season to give.

For more information, call 732-730-1855.