Simon Youth Foundation students give thanks through service

Academy students at Haven from Hunger

As we have all been preparing in recent days for our 2011 Thanksgiving meals with loved ones, Simon Youth Foundation students in Peabody, Mass., were preparing a local food pantry to serve hundreds of people who are in need this holiday.

A group of 30 students from the Simon Youth Peabody Learning Academy spent Nov. 14 and 15 at Haven from Hunger. The students served regularly scheduled meals, handed out Thanksgiving turkeys, and helped organize food shelves in advance of the large crowds expected on Thanksgiving. In addition, the students collected and donated 400 non-perishable food items to the pantry.

“This was a very moving and eye-opening experience for our students,” say Academy principal Seith Bedard. “Many of our students face difficult challenges in their lives, but working with Haven from Hunger to serve its clients puts everything into perspective.”

The Simon Youth Peabody Learning Academy operates in partnership between SYF and Peabody Public Schools. It is located in the Northshore Mall, a Simon property northeast of Boston.