The members of the Jersey Shore High School Future Business Leaders of America (JS FBLA) were busy during November, as they were working hard to support those in need in the community through their #weSHOREcare project.
This year, #weSHOREcare organized a “Stuff the Bus” themed food drive in order to gather food and monetary donations for The New Love Center. JS FBLA wanted to support and provide for families in the community facing food insecurity. They were collecting donations on the weekends at various community hotspots, including Jersey Shore State Bank, Weis Markets, Lingles, and the Nipponese Valley Village, as well as the various schools throughout the school district during the weekdays. They also collected donations during the football games on Friday nights. Throughout November 1-21, they saw the community come together to help other families of the community who are in need.
Community involvement was the key to the success of this project. At all of the locations throughout November, JS FBLA saw countless community members of all ages come to the bus bringing donations. Dustin Stoetzel, a FBLA member who was frequently working at the bus recalled, “It was really inspiring to see so many people come together to help community members facing food insecurity. Even during a pandemic, this community was willing to aid those in need, and to see that was incredible.” The community just on the weekends brought in a total of 1,773 canned and non-perishable goods, and that’s not even counting all of the donations that the JS FBLA received through the schools in the district.
The FBLA was trying to “Meat” the needs of the community through donations of protein rich non-perishable food like canned meats, canned fish, canned beans, and peanut butter. They chose these items because their research indicated that, due to the sometimes-high prices of these items, food insecure families, food banks, and food pantries have difficulty obtaining these goods that are crucial to a healthy and balanced diet. Over the three weeks of November, they received a total of 16,903 canned and nonperishable goods from this generous community, including all of the items from the schools and from the weekend donations.
Along with food donations, the JS FBLA were accepting monetary donations. The FBLA were able to kick off the project with a staggering donation of $5,000 from the Jersey Shore State Bank. Along with this monetary contribution to get the FBLA started, JSSB assisted the FBLA by helping them design the logo for the signs and banners for the bus and the Day of Caring t-shirts the FBLA handed out in exchange for donations.
Jersey Shore State Bank was not the only local business that wanted to give back to the community. On October 22, the FBLA went to many businesses between Williamsport, Jersey Shore, and Lock Haven. During these visits, they asked for these local businesses to be involved in giving back to the community. They received many positive responses from the businesses in the community, and one significant pledge from Steinbacher, Goodall, and Yurchak. One of the law firm’s partners, Julie Steinbacher, a JS High School and FBLA alumni, challenged the team to make this the biggest year yet for #weSHOREcare project, and promised that the firm would match all donations made throughout the span of the project. This contribution is huge, as the Jersey Shore FBLA raised $17,500 by November 19 with donations. To have that number matched means a lot to the The New Love Center, as the more money they get, the more families that can be helped. In addition to Jersey Shore State Bank and Steinbacher, Goodall and Yurcxhak, the top business sponsors included: Robo Construction LLC, Your Guardian Angel Preschool and Childcare, A Way to Grow Learning & Development Center, RW Dittmarr Plumbing & Heating, HJ Consulting Inc., Jersey Shore Moose Lodge #214, Steven and Teresa Keen, Weis Markets, Windecker Enterprises Inc., and Feger Insurance Agency.
It wasn’t just food and monetary donations that led to the success of this project, however. Without the generosity of Windecker Enterprises, there would have been no bus, and no way to move a bus. Windecker Enterprises donated both a bus for use throughout the project and a driver to make sure the bus arrived to the scheduled locations. These drivers helped transport the bus and donations throughout November and, with 16,903 donated items, it required them to call for a second bus. They were also kind enough to help load and unload the bus on the Day of Caring. Windecker Enterprises and their employees helped this project be a success!
Clearly this project has been well received by everyone in this community. With so many donations, The New Love Center will be even more successful in helping food insecure families in the area. John Summerson, a JS High School Student and FBLA member said that he was inspired “that it [Stuff the Bus] brought together our school in a really turbulent time to help those in need in our community.”
Stephanie Windecker, owner of Windecker Enterprises who donated the bus for use throughout the month, was impressed “how much the community came together and donated so much to the project.”
DJ Steinbacher, president of the JS High School FBLA, made a statement that sums up the success of #weSHOREcare this year quite well. “This project has helped the community in so many ways. It brought the community closer by them being able to get involved and help out The New Love Center with their monetary and non-perishable food items they all donated.”
Clearly JS FBLA’s Stuff the Bus was a major success this year, and they couldn’t have done it without the help of the wonderful community of Jersey Shore, and all of the schools within the Jersey Shore Area School District. A formal presentation of the project funds will be presented to The New Love Center on January 10, 2022.
