Beat the morning rush and drop off food collections on Sunday evening, December 13, from 7:00 – 8:00 p.m., at the main Hauser door.

Get a photo taken with Santa and don’t forget to bring your wish list! Come check out the amazing Hauser Food Drive Display. Photo with Santa will cost $2.00, with proceeds going to the Salvation Army.

Invitation to Visit Santa
Who: Every Child
When: December 16
Where: Hauser Junior High
65 Woodside Road, Riverside
Time: 7:00 – 8:30 p.m.

Did you know Hauser Junior High is the largest food collector for the Salvation Army in the state of Illinois? Over the past 38 years, Hauser has collected nearly 1.4 million cans and boxes of food. You can support this time-honored tradition by donating food or money to the school’s 39th Annual Food Drive, between now and the morning of Wednesday, December 16.

In this year of tremendous need, Hauser aims to collect an all-time high of 80,000 food items, to surpass last year’s 70,000 cans and boxes. Students who collect either 200 items or $50 will be able to help set up the display in the Hauser Auditorium – a truly awesome site to behold – on Wednesday, December 16. That evening, from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m., Hauser will open the doors to the public to see the display, and welcome a visit from Santa at 7:00 p.m.

Everyone is invited to support Hauser’s Annual Food Drive. You can donate food items or make monetary donations (checks payable to Riverside Public Schools) to Hauser students or directly to the school.

For more information, contact one of the Hauser staff organizing the Food Drive: Renee Blondin, blondinr@district96.org; Joy Brabec, brabecj@district96.org; or Katie Kempe, kempek@district96.org.

Students and parents are invited to drop off any canned goods collected for the Hauser Food Drive on Sunday, December 6, from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. Please come to the main Hauser door. Hauser has been the number one collector of food for the Salvation Army in Illinois. During the past 38 years our students have collected 1,365,916 cans and boxes of food. Last year we donated over 70,000 food items. This year we’re trying to beat that record by collecting 80,000 cans.

The Food Drive is off to a great start, but there are many families in need this year. Help make this a record year for Hauser’s Food Drive. If you can not drop off on Sunday, food drive collections will continue next week before school.

An annual Hauser tradition is the holiday food drive, and this year marks our 39th year of collecting food. Hauser has been the number one collector of food for the Salvation Army in Illinois. During the past 38 years our students have collected 1,365,916 cans and boxes of food. Last year we donated over 70,000 food items. Students are asked to collect food and bring it to school. Any student who collects over 200 cans/boxes gets to help set up the food display after school. For parents who have never seen the display of food collected, it’s a sight not to be missed!

Hauser has earned a tremendous reputation for its generosity. We all know that our current economy has taken a toll on families, businesses and philanthropic organizations. Food pantries are reporting a reduction in donations and personnel. These organizations have also seen a dramatic increase in the number of people who need assistance and the cost of food has been rising over the years. The Salvation Army is counting on Hauser, once again, to fill the shelves of its food pantries.

In addition to the items the students collect and bring in, each year we begin our Annual Food Drive with a shopping day at Ultra Foods. Ultra Foods has been a wonderful partner with Hauser to make our collections a huge success. How can you help? Please make your generous cash and/or check donations (checks payable to Riverside Public Schools) so that we can meet our initial amount due for this first delivery date. This sizable amount needs to be collected by Friday, December 4.

We thank you, the families of Riverside, North Riverside, Brookfield and Lyons in advance for your continued support of one of Hauser’s oldest traditions. If you have any questions about the drive, please call us at 447-3896 or e-mail to:

Ms. Blondin at blondinr@district96.org
Ms. Brabec at brabecj@district96.org
Ms. Kempe at kempek@district96.org

Due to the volume of food collected during the Hauser Food Drive, we need assistance from Hauser parents to collect and sort food items. Please contact Kathie Kunish to volunteer. Please e-mail her with your name, your student’s name, and the times you would be available to work. A schedule will be e-mailed to you by December 1. Please choose from the following time slots:

Food & money drop-off by students – 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. (Parents)
Friday 12/4
Monday 12/7
Wednesday 12/9
Friday 12/11
Monday 12/14
Wednesday 12/16

Food & money drop-off by students – 7:45 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. (Parents)
Friday 12/4
Monday 12/7
Tuesday 12/8
Wednesday 12/9
Thursday 12/10
Friday 12/11
Monday 12/14
Tuesday 12/15
Wednesday 12/16

Saturday morning truck delivery (Students & Parents) – 10:30 a.m. to Noon
Saturday 12/5
Saturday 12/12

Tuesday after-school – set up risers, tables, etc. for display – 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Tuesday 12/15

The annual Food Drive is an important tradition at Hauser. This year the Food Drive will begin on Thursday, December 4 after school. Students are encouraged to donate food and money before school from December 5 through December 17. Checks must be payable to: Riverside Public Schools. Mr. Berwanger will be meeting with all students this week to discuss Food Drive procedures. Assistance unloading the truck will be needed on Saturday, December 6 and Saturday, December 13 at 10:30 a.m.

Email Mr. Berwanger if you wish to help. In addition to before-school times, food deliveries will be accepted on Sunday, December 7 and Sunday, December 14 from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. On Wednesday, December 17, students who contributed 200 or more cans of food will set up the display after school. The display will be open for public viewing on Wednesday, December 17, from 6:30 to 10:00 p.m., including a visit from Santa from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. The display will also be on view Thursday, December 18 from 7:00 to 11:00 a.m. before the food is loaded on Salvation Army trucks.

We are in need of parent helpers in the mornings for the food drive. We need 3 parents each morning from December 7 until the 19. We begin at 7:45 a.m. and end by 9:00 a.m. Each parent will take in the students’ donations for the food drive. We try to have a parent for each grade. If you are able to help, please contact Cathy Louthen . Please state your name, the grade you would like to help, and what day(s) you can attend. You will be notified when you will work. We will put experienced parents with anyone new to this program. It is a great opportunity to help Hauser and the food drive itself. Thank you in advance for your help.