Hatboro-Horsham to Feed 109 'Friends' Plus

More than 100 Hatboro and Horsham families struggling to put food on the table will have a bounty of food in anticipation of Christmas.

As part of Hatboro-Horsham High School's annual Feed A Friend food drive, 109 district families will receive about a month's worth of non-perishable food items, a frozen turkey, more than $50 in gift cards and Christmas gifts for kids, according to the high school's student council advisor, Dave Thomas.

In all, the 106-member student council, with donations from Hatboro and Horsham residents and businesses, collected "easily" more than 50,000 food items, according to Thomas, who, on Friday, was busily working on a spreadsheet to organize delivery routes for each of the care packages. 

At the outset of this year's food drive kickoff, Thomas said it looked as if the student council would need to generate enough food and monetary donations for 200 families. But, after reaching out to the families identified, Thomas said many declined help. 

So, in the end, the group was left with a good problem to have: Too much food. The vestibule and portions of the high school's lobby were over-run with non-perishable food items - but not for long.

Thomas said excess food items will be donated to food banks at Lehman Memorial United Methodist Church in Hatboro, St. Catherine of Siena Church in Horsham, as well as the Lamb Foundation.

On Friday, students hustled about gathering up and loading food set for delivery by about 50 teachers and district staff. 

Student Council Vice President Meredith Lightstone said she was pleasantly surprised by the influx of donations "especially with the economy being so bad."

And, as she stood in the cold Friday morning, helping her fellow students load heavy canned goods into a car, Lightstone seemed to sum up the sentiment of the annual Feed A Friend campaign.

"It's a good feeling," she said.