Blue Jays Show Spirit of Gratitude by Distributing 450 Thanksgiving Baskets

Posted November 25, 2015 / Last updated February 24, 2016

Jesuit students, faculty, and staff crowd the Robért Fresh Market on Wednesday, Nov. 25, shopping for groceries to fill baskets for the 2015 Thanksgiving Drive.

Living their motto of “Men For Others,” Jesuit High School students, faculty and staff, and alumni distributed Thanksgiving food boxes to approximately 450 needy families throughout New Orleans on Wednesday, Nov. 25. Through the Thanksgiving Drive, and other service occasions, Blue Jays learn to be Men of Faith and Men for Others.

The day began at 5:30 a.m. at Robért Fresh Market where students, faculty, and staff met to purchase the perishable goods needed to complete the baskets already begun with non-perishable food collected over the last month.

Basket Preparation and Delivery

After shopping, students then returned to campus and worked with their homeroom classmates to prepare the baskets for delivery. Each homeroom prepared three or more baskets for delivery. Several clubs, athletic teams, and organizations also got together to prepare additional baskets.

Each year, Jesuit alumni — led by the Class of 1983 — also assist by providing one turkey for each basket. Many alumni and their families, with the help of the Alumni Association, came to campus Tuesday night to help pack boxes for needy families throughout the metro area.

The alumni effort started earlier this month when Mark Alvarez ’83 spoke to students at Morning Assembly, and continued yesterday as members of the Alumni Association gathered food items to pack boxes for 180 needy families in the metro area. Several individual alumni classes have also adopted families and continued organizing boxes for today’s delivery.

This morning the school community gathered in the Chapel of the North American Martyrs for a Thanksgiving prayer service. Senior Victor Castellon and Mr. Stephen Kramer, S.J. each spoke about the greater meaning of Thanksgiving to the group of students, faculty, staff, parents, and alumni gathered in the chapel.

Afterward, the crowd left the chapel and took off in all directions across the city to deliver more than 400 baskets to the homes of those who would not otherwise enjoy a Thanksgiving meal.

The annual Thanksgiving Drive has been conducted by the students of Jesuit since 1927, and possibly earlier, when the Sodality placed boxes in each classroom for the collection of food items for the city’s poor.

The drive it is organized and executed by the students under the guidance of Kevin Murphy ’00, director of the school’s Community Service Program.

Thanksgiving Day Mass

The entire Jesuit community is invited to celebrate Mass on Thanksgiving Day at 10 a.m. in the Chapel of the North American Martyrs.

Thanksgiving Drive Photo Galleries

Thanksgiving Drive Grocery Shopping, Prayer Service, Baskets and Delivery

Alumni Thanksgiving Drive

Watch Coverage of Jesuit’s 2015 Thanksgiving Drive

WWL-TV’s– Jesuit High School Thanksgiving Drive

WGNO – Buffet in a bag! Jesuit High School delivers Thanksgiving door to door to 460 families

Videos

Galleries

Thanksgiving Drive, Nov. 25, 2015

A news camera from Fox 8 takes a peak in Christopher Abadie's grocery basket early Wednesday morning during a grocery shopping trip at Robért Fresh Market for Jesuit's 2015 Thanksgiving Drive.
A reporter from Fox 8 New Orleans interviews senior Joe Favret after talking to Fr. Anthony McGinn, S.J. and senior Christopher Abadie at Robért Fresh Market for Jesuit's 2015 Thanksgiving Drive.
Juniors Andre Navarre, Tanner Tresca, Peyton Schillach, Jeremy Hamilton, Christopher Pitre, Riess Dominici, and Blake Brown have a loaded basket for Jesuit's 2015 Thanksgiving Drive.
Mr. Gino Giambelluca heads to the cashier with the makings of a few baskets for Jesuit's 2015 Thanksgiving Drive.
Pre-freshmen Patrick Albright, Matthew Lulich, Henry Ehrhardt, and Hayden Adams calculate their grocery budget for Jesuit's 2015 Thanksgiving Drive.
Senior Jakirai Wiley, Mr. Kyle White, and senior Rodney Schaubhut review their grocery list for Jesuit's 2015 Thanksgiving Drive.
Jesuit students, faculty, and staff crowd the Robért Fresh Market on Robert E. Lee Blvd. on Wednesday, Nov. 25, shopping for groceries to fill baskets for the 2015 Thanksgiving Drive.
Juniors Colin Parenton, Nolan Lambert, Charlie Juge, and Nicholas Pham finish off their shopping with helpful non-food items for Jesuit's 2015 Thanksgiving Drive.
Mr. James Michalik leads his students through the aisles as they shop for Jesuit's 2015 Thanksgiving Drive.
Junior Davis Martin leaves the produce section with a full basket for Jesuit's 2015 Thanksgiving Drive.
Blue Jay alumni Marc Robért '04, Matthieu Robért '12, and Mr. Tim McCaffery '01 meet for Jesuit's 2015 Thanksgiving Drive.
Sophomore Robert Argote packs a few gallons of milk for Jesuit's 2015 Thanksgiving Drive.
Mr. Graham Jarrott and Mr. Terry Ursin wait in the check-out line with sophomores for Jesuit's 2015 Thanksgiving Drive.
Pre-freshmen Patrick Albright, Serbi de Gracia, Chance McGee, and Fr. John Brown, S.J. bag their groceries for Jesuit's 2015 Thanksgiving Drive.
Senior Jacob Niehaus, Mr. Lawrence Dagate, and senior Dominic McGinnis finish up their shopping for Jesuit's 2015 Thanksgiving Drive.
Seniors Taylor Anderson, Gray Cressy, and Kent Flower carry baskets to their cars for Jesuit's 2015 Thanksgiving Drive.
Juniors Matt Nguyen and Eric Espinal bring baskets to their car for Jesuit's 2015 Thanksgiving Drive. Photo by junior Luke Navarro.
Pre-freshmen Max Holmes and Marcus Banks prepare to add turkeys to their baskets for Jesuit's 2015 Thanksgiving Drive.
Pre-freshmen in Br. Billy Dardis, S.J. and Fr. Donald Saunders, S.J.'s homeroom display the turkeys before they add them to their baskets. From left: Grant Barras, Aidan Gauthe', and Andrew Barreca.
Seniors Francesco Pineda and Darren Ruiz carry boxes to their car for Jesuit's 2015 Thanksgiving Drive.
Seniors Cade Fuxan and Christopher Abadie carry boxes to their car for Jesuit's 2015 Thanksgiving Drive.
Mr. Mark Songy's homeroom was responsible for five Thanksgiving baskets for Jesuit's annual drive.
Seniors Kenny Murray and Jacob Doran carry a basket to a waiting car for Jesuit's 2015 Thanksgiving Drive.
Packed and ready to go! (From left) seniors in Ms. Khanh Nguyen's homeroom: Bert Gilmore, Philip Meric, Kenny Murray, Rodney Schaubhut, and Ryan Kramer.
Matt Wegmann, Marc Burmaster, and Trey Fury -- of the Class of 2002 -- pack several baskets in their cars as they prepare for delivery.
A group of Blue Jays pack their car in preparation for a delivery.
Peter Espinoza, Andrew Cerise, and Aubrey Champlin carry Thanksgiving Baskets through the halls to their waiting cars.
Blue Jays gathered for a prayer service before delivering baskets for Jesuit's 2015 Thanksgiving Drive.
Senior Sterling Stafford played piano for the Thanksgiving Drive prayer service.
At the Thanksgiving prayer service, Mr. Stephen Kramer, S.J. implores the community to perform acts of love for this Thanksgiving.
At the Thanksgiving prayer service, senior Victor Castellon asked Blue Jays to remember to give without wanting anything in return.
Bobby Comeaux '15 (left) returns to Carrollton and Banks to help his younger brother, pre-freshman Luke Comeaux (not pictured), with his homeroom's delivery. Pictured are Luke's classmates, Sid Trouard, Beau Borden, and Christopher Dusang.
Seniors in Ms. Nilda Rivera's homeroom pack a car in preparation for two deliveries. From left: Brandon Beck, Joe Favret, Cameron Armand, and Paul Gelpi.
Senior John James packs food items in a car in preparation for delivery for Jesuit's 2015 Thanksgiving Drive.
Alumnus John Alongia '09 waits his turn to help bring basket items to families picking up a basket. More than a dozen alumni spanning four decades volunteered Wednesday morning in the Student Commons helping distribute Thanksgiving baskets to families who arrived to pick them up.
Perhaps this year's youngest volunteer, Miles Bradley, helps push a cart along with his dad, Jarred Bradley '94.
Mr. Tim Powers joins a class of juniors delivering Thanksgiving baskets. Photo by junior Luke Navarro.
Seniors in Homeroom 1204 make a delivery. Paul Gelpi, Cameron Armand, Joe Favret, and Brandon Beck deliver a Thanksgiving basket.
Ms. Nilda Rivera's homerom (along with alumnus Stephen Stradley '15) make a delivery. From left: Cameron Armand, Ms. Nilda Rivera, Paul Gelpi, Joe Favret, Brandon Beck, and Stephen Stradley '15.
Juniors Cameron Maheu, Matthew Kives, Chris Beebe, Bryce Musso, and Peyton Lofton deliver a basket to this very appreciative family. Photo by junior Luke Navarro.