Castleview Elementary collects food for Dream Center

Students at Castleview Elementary School have collected more than 400 food items to donate to those in need at the West Orange Dream Center in Winter Garden.

The food drive has been an annual event at the school for the last three years. Each year, Castleview chooses to donate to local food banks and charity organizations in need. 

This year, the House Council students and the three teacher sponsors — Rebecca Claflin, Amanda Russo and Mackenzie Crooks — were in charge of the collection.

House Council is an organization at the school that includes fourth- and fifth-grade students who demonstrate scholarship, leadership and school spirit. Students promote the four houses the school has: valor, loyalty, wisdom and chivalry. 

Thirty-two House Council students counted and boxed each food item that was donated, as well as advertised with commercials on the morning announcements. The whole school was able to participate in the donations. 

“The canned food drive helped a lot of people in need for the holidays,” fourth-grader Liah Felicia Monteiro Dias said.

In a two-week span, the school collected 439 items, including pasta, canned goods and peanut butter.

Courtesy photo

“It is important to help those who are less fortunate because they may not have the same things we have,” fourth-grader Grace Prendergast said. “The least we can do is give back a little.”

Crooks said Kathy Marlow, a nurse at the school, reached out with the idea to donate to the Dream Center. 

Marlow works closely with the organization and explained to the school the organization’s need for food, as well as how it is used to benefit the Winter Garden and broader Orlando communities. 

“My husband, Ron Marlow, enjoys volunteering at the Dream Center, because it brings him great joy to see the difference that the Dream Center is making and a huge impact in this community located on the east side of Winter Garden,” she said. “It’s a great Christian-based organization. They have a food pantry that has helped the community tremendously. The doors are open during the week for coffee, and (there is) free Wi-Fi for the community. It’s a place where the homeless can get out of the hot sun or the cold winter days and use the facility during the day. The Dream Center is a great asset to the old and young of this community. Many different organizations see the difference they are making and want to be a part of the wonderful change that is happening. There is a group on Thursdays for the older folks; we call them the kings and queens. They have lived in this area for (more than) 60 years and have seen many changes in this community. But nothing compares to what the Dream Center is accomplishing.” 

“The House Council students work hard to give back to their community to make it a better place,” Crooks said. “This is the first of their events during the year that raises money or collects items for those in need. It is important for students to know how we can help others all year long, and the holiday seasons are a great place to start when many families may go without.” 

Mackenzie Gebken, operations manager at the West Orange Dream Center, said the organization is grateful to have been chosen as a beneficiary, but even more grateful for a partnership between a local school and local families in need.

“It is important for the community to donate to those in need, because it is a way to show love to our neighbors and help meet the basic needs of families, leading to a stronger, healthier community,” she said.

Other schools or individuals who want to get involved with the West Orange Dream Center can sign up to volunteer, donate cleaning supplies and hygiene items to the supply pantry, or make a monetary donation. For more information, those interested can contact Gebken at [email protected] or (407) 258-3107.