Gifts are not the only staple of Christmas. A traditional dinner is also part of many families’ festivities.

This holiday season students, clubs, and sports teams from Thomas County Central High School came together to provide food for families participating in Shop With a Yellow Jacket, or SWAYJ.

“The manna drop is an opportunity to provide a ‘traditional’ Christmas dinner for the families of the students who participate in SWAYJ,” TCCHS Assistant Principal Jamie Thompson said. “The manna drop will relieve the stress of providing a meal for the main caretaker of the family.”

Classes and clubs came together to make these boxes. They brought in items and filled the boxes with canned vegetables and fruits, rice, sugar, instant potatoes, and macaroni.

Some classes made more than one box. Mrs. Laura Parkerson’s class made five. The Future Business Leaders of America organization, FBLA, made seven boxes.

SWAYJ contributions allowed a frozen turkey to be provided to each family. Also, the TCCHS Agriculture Department provided collard greens for each manna box.

“The Agriculture Department was happy to provide collard greens, grown in the agriculture fields and picked by students, as an additional side to the manna boxes,” agriculture teacher Robbie Harrison said. “It is our hope that this traditional side will help these families to feel extra special throughout the holiday season.”

Organizers hope the boxes will help families to simply enjoy Christmas.

“The manna box will allow families the opportunity to gather around a full table and focus their attentions on the true meaning of the season with a full stomach and a full heart,” Thompson said.