For nearly 30 years, Monsignor Edward Pace High School has been collecting food in the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving for its Tons of Love food drive. Everyone in the Pace family, including students, parents, teachers, and staff, is asked to donate non-perishable and canned food items. Those donations will be delivered to the needy in South Florida.
The tradition was started by Sister Carol Jean Willie in the 1980’s and is now run primarily by Pace’s Theology Department and Mission Club. Freshmen, sophomore, juniors, and seniors compete with one another to see which grade level can bring in the most food, with the winning grade receiving the Tons of Love trophy, which is updated each year with a plaque of that year’s winners.
While the drive continues to accept donations until November 20, the deliveries have already started to ministries, pantries, and food banks in Homestead, Miami Gardens, Miami, Opa-Locka, and many other locations. On their last day of school before Thanksgiving, the Pace community will come together for a special Tons of Love mass to celebrate the Thanksgiving season and commemorate all of the food that will be going out to help the hungry in our community.