Each year, the Community Service Program sponsors a gingerbread raffle to raise funds for a local or international cause before students go on winter break. This work of art (and candy) is lovingly created each year by Margorie Stone, parent of Milton graduate Andrew Stone '00. This year, the student board has chosen to donate all proceeds to The Farm at Long Island Shelter located in Boston Harbor. Tickets will be sold this Monday through Wednesday and a drawing for the lucky winner takes place at the all-school holiday assembly on Thursday, December 16.

The Farm is a 4-acre organic vegetable, flower and herb farm. Each year it produces nearly 30,000 pounds of high quality, first harvest produce for over 850 homeless individuals served at several shelters each day.

Besides making it possible to serve delicious and nutritious produce, The Farm also provides hands-on job training, work-readiness skills, life skills and education for homeless individuals as part of the Serving Ourselves Job Training Program. Participants learn all aspects of food production; soil preparation, a variety of planting techniques, tending the plants, pest control, harvesting and marketing their produce at local farmers markets (approximately 15% is sold at Farmers Markets in Quincy and Boston which helps raise funds for the program).

For more detailed information about The Farm and related programs, visit the Friends of Boston's Homeless at www.fobh.org. For more information on the Community Service Program, click here.