NDA Girls & Midnight Memories

By: Lacey S. '16 & Julia G. '16
        Cinderella is not the only one sneaking around at midnight! During the night of March 1st, while most of us were fast asleep, fifteen NDA girls along with fifteen St. Peter's boys and ten adult volunteers packed up and headed to 34th street on a mission for good.

NDA girls help the homeless

For the past 7 years, Notre Dame Academy’s Interact Club has partnered up with St. Peter’s Boys High School and the Staten Island Rotary to participate in the Midnight Run. The Midnight Run is an organization that arranges a night for groups to go out into the city to feed and clothe the homeless of New York City. Through the generosity of St. Peter's Boys High School, who provide profuse amounts of clothes to give out, and the food donations from the Rotary and Galofaro families, the street dwellers received a pleasant surprise on a bitter winter night. Their options varied from food items, clothes, and toiletry packs consisting of two sandwiches, snacks, a drink, a pair of socks, a t-shirt, and underwear. In addition to individual packs, there were also other items available such as coats, shoes, blankets, backpacks, coffee, soups, and muffins. The night began at approximately 7 P.M. when NDA's Interact Club met up on campus and sorted items into their designated packages. Then, at about 9 P.M., they loaded up the truck and made their way into the city. The first stop was made at around 10 P.M., followed by five other stops,  leaving the group out on the streets of Manhattan until about 2 A.M.  The night was a huge success: over 80 sandwiches and toiletry packs, 5 suitcases, many tote bags, and nearly all of the coats were handed out.

Despite the success of the project, we need to recall the reason for it. When moderator Mrs. Cimino reflected on the success of the night she said, “Unfortunately, it was a successful run. It is sad that there are so many homeless still on the streets.” Despite the devastating poverty in New York City, the group made someone's day (or night) a little bit better by helping them out and providing them with necessities. All who participated in the run took away the life-changing experience of witnessing firsthand what it's like to have nothing, such as the man they encountered who needed a backpack for storing his minimal belongings because all that he owned was a bicycle. The Midnight Run allows students to exit their sheltered bubbles and enter the real world where poverty is a very real problem.  They interacted with homeless people and enjoyed every second of helping others and making unforgettable memories.