'Fight Hunger, Not Each Other': Bread Of Life Food Drive Kicks Off For 35th Year

Borough President Vito Fossella was joined by District Attorney Michael McMahon and students from Staten Island schools to announce the 35th annual Notre Dame Club Bread Of Life Food Drive.

The Bread Of Life Food Drive works with more than 100 borough public and private schools with "Fight Hunger, Not Each Other" as the continuing catchphrase.
Since its inception, the Bread of Life Food Drive has collected and distributed more than two million non-perishable food items to 25 non-profit organizations on Staten Island.

“You come together to make things better," said Borough President Fossella during a press conference in Borough Hall.

Rev. Terry Troia, executive director of Project Hospitality, one of the recipient organizations, shared a story of a phone call she received from the principal of a fourth-grade student who was so hungry she ate an entire piece of Easter candy, wrapper included.

She  visited the student’s home and found less than a quart of milk in the refrigerator and a single bag of potato chips in the cupboard as their sole source of food. Her mother also had a 10-month-old baby and was pregnant.

“These are the kinds of situations that require the food that you are collecting,” said Rev. Troia. “What you do is fill those cupboards and refrigerators. You are saving that fourth-grader from having to eat that wrapper and that is very powerful.”

The participating schools will collect food throughout the rest of the month. The food will then be boxed at Monsignor Farrell High School on March 28 and delivered to the recipient organizations.

"It’s just an inspiring response from all the schools,” said Bread of Life Executive Director Joseph Delaney.