A new student-run club, Families4Families, collects food donations for families in need every month. The club was started by sophomore Elena Filbert to bring awareness to the fact that there are families in the area who are struggling to afford food. She also wanted to mobilize  students to organize food drives at the school. The donations from these drives are then given to local food banks and ultimately distributed to families.

Members aren’t required to bring in donations during every food drive. However, they are encouraged to reach out to people outside the club and get them to bring in food. “In addition to providing food donations for our community, the club helps members work on their communication and marketing skills,” Filbert said. 

The club meetings are held during lunch one to two times per month. During these  meetings, members have an opportunity to give their input about the next food drive. “We want to make sure all our members are given opportunities to share their opinions and to use their creativity in enhancing our club and coming up with new ideas,” Filbert said.  

During the meeting, members also discuss what type of foods are and are not going to be collected. The kinds of foods that need to be donated depend on the drive. “The food drives are not all the same. We must plan out what we need to bring depending on the type of drive it is,” Filbert said. 

Once the food drive is finished, members spend time sorting foods into boxes. “Our members make sure to stay focused as there is a lot to do during our drives with a limited amount of time,” Filbert said.

The food drives consist of donations of different types of food, such as canned and boxed goods. There are drop-offs set up at the school used to make it easier for families in the community to donate. “There are a variety of different foods that can be donated and our systems make donating practical for Wootton families,” Filbert said. 

The club uses their Instagram account (@wooton_f4f) to spread information about drives. The account is also used to encourage followers and students to join the club or to donate resources. “Social media is a great way to spread our information and keep students engaged in the club when they aren’t at school,” Filbert said.

Families4Families is working to bring in donations for families in need. “My peers are always working hard to find more people who can donate food. They are constantly reaching out to sources and looking for more things they have around their house,” sophomore member Annabel Bunten said.

While most clubs focus on supporting the school community and students, Families4Families focuses on the larger community outside of the school. “It’s different from other clubs since it’s all about organizing monthly food drives in Wootton to support families in need in the DC area,” special education resource teacher and club sponsor Sharon Tzioni said.