MARSD Hosts First-Ever Holiday Meal For District Families In Need

Seasonal & Holidays

MARSD Hosts First-Ever Holiday Meal For District Families In Need The Winter Wonderland Holiday Feast will be Dec. 17, and the school district is seeking cash donations to make it happen for local families:

MATAWAN, NJ — The Matawan-Aberdeen Regional School District (MARSD) wants to make sure the upcoming holiday season is joyful and abundant for all students and their families this year.

That's why this year, for the first time ever, the school district will hold its first-ever holiday feast for local families in need. The Winter Wonderland Holiday Feast will be held Dec. 17, at the high school, and it will be held by MARSD Cares, the district's charity arm.

MARSD Cares is now seeking donations from community members and local businesses for gifts, services and their time to support the dinner.

About 80+ families in the school district will be invited to Matawan Regional High School for a hot meal, presents and holiday activities. Transportation may also be provided to make it easier for families to attend. The district's food service provider, Maschio's, offered to provide the meal at no extra cost to the district.

Donations are needed to provide a gift or gifts for each child, plus fun activities like a Santa visit, photo booth or face painting. Anyone interested in volunteering their time or providing a monetary or gift donation to MARSD Cares can contact Darlene Gallagher, confidential executive secretary, at 732-705-4007 or

In previous years, MARSD Cares provided gift cards to families in need around the holidays, but this year, they said they wanted to do something different.

When a staff member or student goes through a loss of any kind, MARSD Cares steps in to provide gift cards, food or other needed items.