By Mason Smith ’11
The Roundup
The recession has struck everyone and every community with a force that was largely unexpected.
Now there are more and more families out there living off of food stamps and shelters.
Once a year, during the month where giving can override receiving, the Office of Faith and Justice puts on the ELF Drive so that at least a few families will be able to have that sense of receiving.
In 2007 Brophy sponsored 69 families, but in 2008 Brophy’s sponsorships dropped significantly to 45 families.
The head of the ELF Drive is Mr. Tommy Smith. He has one message for the Brophy community: “More support.”
“We were down in numbers and while I love to shower the families with as much food and as many gifts as we can, my ultimate goal would be to serve or sponsor 100 families this year, and I think we can do that.”
One hundred families is a lot of people, but the main aspect of the drive the students have to realize is that, “it’s about giving, and not only giving, but giving to people that are in need,” Mr. Smith said.
$1 can go a long way during this time of need, but a can of beans, bag of vegetables, etc. can go even farther.
“We just understand that there is a need there and we fill that need,” Mr. Smith said.
The families are not just of low income, but some have a member of the family with a disease, such as Down Syndrome or autism, causing them to stretch limited resources even farther.
It is the goal for the ELF drive to make Christmas as enjoyable for the families as possible.
“Sometimes we get so caught up that Christmas is all about getting all these new presents, new gifts and I think that through the ELF drive we show the Brophy community that it’s about giving,” Mr. Smith said.
In the past, students have donated many different things that span from televisions to radios and from canned foods to blenders.
Mr. Smith’s goal is to sponsor 100 families and watch 100 families eyes widen when they see the gifts the Brophy community has contributed for them.
Editor’s Note: The Roundup staff has committed to sponsoring a family in this year’s ELF drive.
