The National Honor Society (NHS), along with Student Council’s help, used the non-denominational Giving Tree to collect about 440 new clothing items this December to donate to those in need.

The non-denominational Giving Tree is the tree located in the cafeteria for the two weeks before winter break. During this time, students can fulfill donation requests which are written on paper mittens hanging from the tree.

All donations were brought to Andy’s Attic, a student-run organization based at South High in Worcester devoted to ensuring that all families have clothes.

NHS adviser and applied arts & technology teacher Nicole Ruffo was pleased with the school community’s involvement with the Giving Tree and believes this year’s success is a result of the tree’s seven year history at Algonquin.

“Every time we went down to the [cafeteria], the mittens were gone so we had trouble keeping up with the replenishment [of the tree],” Ruffo said.

Besides students and faculty donating clothes, social studies teacher Amelia Braun and her students raised $800 between her classes to donate to Andy’s Attic.

“That is beyond amazing and beyond generous,” Ruffo said. “That is one teacher making a difference. It’s incredible to think about the goodness we have here.”

Next year, NHS plans on running a toy and clothes drive, not just one or the other like in previous years.

“That is going to be a massive undertaking, but I think that the Algonquin community can definitely do it,” Ruffo said.

Regardless of what the drive is raising, Ruffo is proud to see students and faculty joining together to aid those in need.

“It really is heartwarming to see the whole school come together, and it doesn’t matter what the cause is,” Ruffo said. “It doesn’t matter if it’s clothes, if it’s toys, if it’s food for the Thanksgiving food drive; we just have a school where people want to help.”