Bea Coleman’s
school-based food drive has become a large undertaking
By carolyn o’connell
Staff Writer

chris kelly Boxes are filling up, and they in turn are filling up the auditorium at the Long Branch Middle School. Members of Donna Cetrullo’s eighth-grade food class at the school are taking part in getting the food ready for distribution throughout the city.

What started as a small outreach program 30 years ago has grown into a holiday tradition that brings cheer to hundreds of families in Long Branch.

Bea Coleman, then a volunteer in the city school system who later came on as a dedicated employee, got the program off the ground as a way to make sure families with students in the school system had a holiday celebration.

In its first years the effort put together about 28 baskets each Thanksgiving. "Now we make between 300 to 400 baskets for families in need," said Coleman.

Coleman said that all those years ago it came to her attention there were several families in the school system that needed some support to get them through the holidays. "That’s what kicked all this off," she said.

After receiving the support of Vincent Ruffin, the middle school guidance counselor, Coleman set out to start a collection of items to create Thanksgiving and Christmas baskets. Her enthusiasm spread, and soon students from third grade on up through the high school, parents, teachers and local residents were lending a helping hand.

Local organizations such as IAMA and the Lions Club were supporters of the project as was Monmouth University which "donated boxes upon boxes of groceries," according to Coleman.

Helping keep it all together were the school custodians who helped with the collection of boxes, storing the goods and organizing them.

"The program really got off the ground when Mr. Ferraina [Joseph M. Ferraina, now superintendent of schools], became principal in 1981. He also decided that Easter should be added to the list of holidays," she said.

"This was just such a great idea," said Ferraina. "I work with a great staff; I asked for their participation and they came forward and volunteered." He added, "I remember driving all over the place with Bea [Coleman]," said Ferraina, "delivering these baskets. She really is the backbone to all of this."

Families who receive a basket will find various items such as canned foods, onions, potatoes, stuffing, tuna, pasta and more which will accompany a turkey.

The only items purchased are the turkeys with money donated by the Long Branch Rotary Club, and through fund-raising efforts through the Student Parent Teacher Organization, which Coleman currently serves as president. "We raise enough money to purchase approximately 200 of them. The rest come to us as donations," said Coleman.

In addition to negotiating the purchase price of turkeys from local food markets, Middle School president Robert Celli helps in the collection of food, fund-raising with rotaries and overseeing the project from beginning to end.

"Mrs. Coleman has been instrumental in developing these plans, said Celli. "She really cares about people. I wish more people would get involved so we could do even more."

Between Thanksgiving and Christmas noted Celli, over 700 hundred baskets are made. As of last week, Coleman made a quick tally discovering that so far she has 360 names which are on her list for a basket delivery.

Although the effort was, in the beginning, geared toward needy families within the school system, Coleman said that today a large cross section of people are able to benefit. Some of her deliveries go to seniors, local residents and families of local school children who have been displaced from their homes and are living in local motels. In addition, some special requests are made by social caseworkers.

It will take 250 students in different shifts to box the baskets Monday, and then they will be delivered by 20 drivers which Coleman has already lined up. She has recruited parents, Board of Education members, staff and members of the Rotary to make the deliveries, which she says will be done within two-and-a-half hours Wednesday morning.

Coleman and all the volunteers will rest for only a few days, because the effort will begin again in December to meet the needs of families for the Christmas holidays.