On December 8, SSA held its annual Adopt a Family event to provide those who are in need. 

To start, an often asked question during this time of year is what exactly is adopt a family at SSA? Adopt a Family every year is hosted and put together through Mr. Colin McIver and the student ministry team. The student ministers work hard to assembles the angel tree, which is where the families lists are located. They sort families, create their lists, hang them on the tree, and assign each classroom a family or individual to help. Adopt a Family has been a tradition on campus for many years. It surrounds the theme of being selfless during this giving season. Each classroom selects a family in need, where the students then provide the family with their wants and needs. A mass is then celebrated to commemorate the less fortunate, with the gifts collected in the gym to then be taken to the organizations: Head Start, St. Tammany Project Christmas, volunteers of America and the James Samaritan Center. 

The toys provided for these families surrounded the gym where mass was held by Msgr. Frank. It was also the feast of the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, so what better way to celebrate with mass during this season of giving? After mass, Fr. Frank blessed the toys, and as part of the gritty girl design sycle (with an -S), the student ministers helped load the buses with Santa’s toys. Lizzy Centanni is a current senior here on campus, and when asked “What is your favorite thing about Adopt a Family” she responded with, “What I enjoy about adopt a family is that all of my classmates and I gather together as one to go out personally buy gifts for people less fortunate. Knowing that kids are going to wake up on Christmas morning extremely happy makes all of it worth it.” Adopt a Family unifies the school, bringing together the school family to give to the poor. 

Whether it be during a season of giving or not, we should always work to help the less fortunate in our community. Every year, SSA provides the less fortunate with wants and needs, going above and beyond to impact these families’ lives.