STEUBENVILLE — Third- and fourth-grade students in the Wells Community Kids program are giving back by donating food and toys to several charitable causes.

Sara Carrocci, a fourth-grade teacher at Wells Academy in Steubenville, leads the program and said the pupils gathered food items to donate just in time for Thanksgiving.

“This month, we did food bags and the fourth-graders made them for the Urban Mission. They were filled with the basic Thanksgiving foods,” she said. “The third grade worked on preparing bags with recipes for chili and turkey casserole.”

Carrocci added that items were donated to the organization last year, but this time they hoped to help people impacted by the holdup of SNAP benefits prior to the resolution of the legislative shutdown.

“This year, we did more because people had lost their SNAP benefits and we felt more pantries were being asked to help families,” she explained.

The students are also preparing to brighten up the holidays for children overseas with the Operation Christmas Child program.

Boxes will be filled with small toys and other items and will be delivered to a local church, which will then send them on to kids across the ocean.

“We have 25 kids participating in Operation Christmas Child and will have boxes with toys, notepads, barrettes, bows, and little games.”

Carrocci said she saw a Facebook post about the Christmas program and decided to reach out with the 60-member student organization, while the boxes will go to the Sacred Heart Center of Hope on Slack Street. Wells Community Kids meets once a month after school and learn the importance of community service. The students have benefitted other charitable groups in the past, including The Friendship Room.

“They learn about volunteering their time,” she said. “As they get older and take part in organizations, they also gain service hours. This also lets them know that it’s okay to need help.”