L.I. Students Gather Food, Gift Donations In Stuff-A-School Charity Drive

MANORVILLE, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- The holiday spirit of giving was on full display at a Long Island school Thursday.

As CBS2's Dick Brennan reported, the kids worked Thursday packing up donated food and gifts while being serenaded by school musicians.

Even as the choir performed the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel's "Messiah," students from Eastport South Manor Junior-Senior High School worked nonstop to pack up boxes of donated goods for those struggling to get by,

It is the eleventh year in a row that the school has staged what it calls the Stuff-a-School charity drive.

"It's just always been a tradition, and we always look forward to this event every single year, and it's all for a great cause," said senior Victoria Kochetova. "We're all surrounded by these donations that, you know, we're just helping people out – and spreading music along with it."

The donated goods will go to many organizations, from veterans' groups to families in need and the homeless.

"We have a giving tree, which is items that come to us from families in need, and they give us almost a wish list, and we purchase items for them," said Jeannette Kushner of Eastport South Manor Junior-Senior High School. "We have food items that go out to our pantries. We even collect for our pets."

In many ways, the Stuff-a-School Drive is a family affair. Parents also brought donations to the school to share with the entire community.

"We just thought it was a nice thing to do. It's a nice thing that the school does every year to bring toys to kids that may not get anything," said parent Colleen Young, "and our son is also playing in the wind ensemble, so we figured we would do our part."

The school's many talented performers provided concert music to the outpouring of good will. All of the goodies will be delivered on Friday in time for the big holiday celebrations still ahead.