Collegedale Academy begins its annual can collecting drive on Oct. 15. This gives many residents of Hamilton County the opportunity to help families in need in the area.
Collegedale Academy's Drive for Hope campaign (CAD for Hope) was a success last year with 28,000 articles of food collected and distributed to over 600 families. Donated food items are delivered to nine downtown Chattanooga facilities including the Chambliss Home and Signal Center. The Samaritan Center in Ooltewah also receives collected food items for distribution to families throughout the year.
Samaritan Center Director Tony Dahlberg said, "Without these food drive contributions, we would not be able to meet the growing support needs of families in and around the Ooltewah area."
Collegedale Academy students drop off paper bags at local resident's homes on Thursday, Oct. 15, and then return to pick up the "filled" bags on Saturday afternoon, Oct. 17. This is a can collection program that has been part of the community for some time.
"This will be the 25th year the program has been in existence and what a blessing it is for our students to help and of course for the families that receive an added bonus from the food collections," said Richard Cadavero, a Collegedale Academy Bible teacher and originator of the project.
If you never receive a bag on your doorstep and would like to contribute, you may send a tax deductible check to CAD for Hope:
Collegedale Academy, P.O. Box 628, Collegedale, Tn. 37315.
Collegedale Academy students are looking forward to working with the community on this important project.