Student leadership and community spirit fueled holiday initiatives supporting local families through food and toy donations.
During the holiday season, the Passaic County Technical-Vocational Schools (PCTVS) community rallied around a simple goal: show up for local families in a real, tangible way. Through a successful Annual Food Drive in partnership with Passaic County and LEAP’s annual Toy Drive, students stepped into leadership, clubs worked side-by-side, and the PCTVS community delivered support where it was needed most.
Partnering with Passaic County, the PCTVS Student Council and Interact Club, together with the PCTI STEM World Language Honor Society, celebrated the success of the district’s Annual Food Drive, collecting more than 3,000 pounds of food. The donations were delivered to CUMAC, a food pantry dedicated to alleviating hunger and poverty in Paterson, across Passaic County, and throughout northern New Jersey. More than a number, the donation represented full shelves, stocked pantries, and real relief for families facing food insecurity.
The spirit of giving continued through LEAP’s annual Toy Drive, which collected over 600 new, unwrapped toys for children in Passaic County served by Catholic Family and Community Services in Paterson. With strong support from students and staff across the district, the initiative helped bring comfort and holiday joy to children while reinforcing PCTVS’s commitment to service beyond the school community.
Beyond local giving, students also extended their impact globally. With hearts full of holiday spirit, TI@ti & friends, the World Language Honor Society (WLHS), and the Tri-M Music Honor Society came together with their respective student organizations to once again support Operation Christmas Child. Students filled and wrapped more than 200 Christmas shoeboxes with carefully chosen gifts, knowing each box could bring joy to a child in need. Through their collective efforts, students helped spread hope, kindness, and the true spirit of the holidays to children around the world.
The World Language Honor Society also hosted its annual in-person community service project in support of Cards for Hospitalized Kids. The WLHS President, Executive Board, and Community Service Coordinators led the event by sharing a slideshow about the organization’s mission and guiding students through the activity. In total, WLHS created 515 custom-made cards filled with positive, caring messages to help brighten the days of hospitalized children.
“PCTVS is proud to partner with the County of Passaic to support our communities and those in need. At PCTVS, citizenship and caring are part of the core values and something we work to build in our students every day,” said Chief School Administrator Dr. Joseph Sabbath. “Through these community service initiatives, our students put their values into action with real responsibility, stepping up to lead and encouraging others to get involved. The resulting impact reached beyond our school and helped many families in our community. We are truly proud of our students’ commitment to community service.”
“When our students step up to serve, they strengthen the entire community,” said Passaic County Commissioner Director Pat Lepore. “These efforts show what’s possible when young leaders are encouraged to give back and understand the value of helping their neighbors. We’re proud to partner with PCTVS and see students leading with compassion, generosity, and real community pride.”
Together, these initiatives reflected the spirit of the season and the strength of the PCTVS community: student leadership, shared responsibility, and a continued commitment to supporting families across Passaic County.
