The 2017-2018 school year’s Harvest of Love campaign has come to a close with over $5000 in cans, food, and money that were used for the Thanksgiving distribution, where boxes for Thanksgiving dinner are given out to Coronado families, and to support Cougars Care for the rest of the school year. This year, the Coronado community exceeded expectations making this the largest Harvest of Love food drive so far.

The top classes for this year’s food drive were Mr. Urban with 25,000 pounds, Ms. Ross with 4,687 pounds, and Mr. Thomas with 4,200 pounds. Overall, Coronado raised $5,295 in cash and 3773 canned goods and boxes. When counting the food and money collected, one can or box was equivalent to one pound while $1 was equal to ten pounds of food.  

“The need was greater, but the opportunity to support was as large as it has ever been” according to Cougars Care supervisor Mr. Urban who said that more Coronado families asked for help with Thanksgiving dinner than ever before.

In total, Coronado gave away 120 packages of food to Coronado families and other community groups with 20-30 cans plus typical, tradition Thanksgiving food, all of which was donated during the Harvest of Love. Over 100 Coronado families were given boxes of food while the rest went to various group homes in the Coronado area such as Urban Peak, Kidz Hope, The Nevada House, The Dale House, and Teens with Promise. Each of these homes feed Coronado students and provide them with resources, so Cougars Care felt it was important to supply them with meals as well.

Additionally, every family was given a gift card to purchase a turkey, and was given the opportunity to choose from a selection of various toiletries and clothing. $500 of the money collected during the campaign was then donated to Care and Share, which is a food bank in Southern Colorado, and the remaining money dedicated to Cougars Care for Coronado assisting families for the rest of the school year.

200 volunteers assisted with Harvest of Love, including not only Coronado students but the Cougars Care Board of Directors, Holmes Middle School students, Rotary Prime members, First EV Free Church members, Coronado staff, FCCLA members, and the CHS wrestling team.

Congratulations Coronado on yet another successful Harvest of Love!