The fifth grade class at Saint Dominic Academy in Lewiston organized a food drive in recent months to benefit St. Mary’s Food Pantry.

The students challenged their peers to donate non-perishable food items from their own pantries and place them in designated receptacles at the school. They also organized a Halloween dance to help reach their goal of collecting 1,000 pounds of food.

At the end of the community service project, the students loaded a school bus with the collected food and delivered it to the pantry, where they were delighted to learn that they had eclipsed their goal by delivering a total of 1,037 pounds.

“The fifth graders at St. Dom’s have learned this holiday season that giving truly is receiving,” said Assistant Principal Donald Bilodeau.

As the largest food pantry in New England, St. Mary’s Food Pantry provides emergency food assistance, nutritional cooking classes and other educational opportunities that allow clients to stretch their food dollars. The pantry is a non-profit organization and has been serving greater Androscoggin County for over 20 years.

For more information or to make a donation to St. Mary’s Food Pantry, call Joyce Gagnon Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. at (207) 513-3841.