Cypress, TX – As the holiday season approaches, AI Montessori Academy in Cypress is going beyond the classroom to teach its students the true meaning of giving.
Under the leadership of Center Director Flavia McDowell, the school is helping collect non-perishable items for Thanksgiving food boxes organized by Cy-Fair Helping Hands and Faith Church to provide Thanksgiving meals, and it is also leading its own Toys for Tots drive to bring Christmas gifts to families in need.
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“If every small business helps a little, together we can make a big impact,” McDowell said. “It’s wonderful to see the community, including parents and kids, getting involved.”
Supporting families through food drives
Each Thanksgiving food box will include all the trimmings needed for a complete holiday meal. While the turkeys are provided by Cy-Fair Helping Hands and Faith Church, AI Montessori is serving as a local drop-off site for donations, which can include:
- Stuffing Mix
- Turkey Gravy
- Canned Cream of Chicken or Mushroom Soup
- Instant Mashed Potatoes
- Boxed Mac & Cheese
- Canned Green Beans, Corn, or Peas
- Canned Sweet Potatoes
- Canned Cranberry Sauce
- Apple, Cherry, or Peach Pie Filling
- Jiffy Pie Crust Mix
- Jiffy Cornbread Mix
AI Montessori is helping gather the sides and essentials for the holiday boxes.
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With many families facing food insecurity due to the government shutdown affecting SNAP benefits, McDowell says the annual food drive is more important than ever.
“There are a lot of families struggling right now,” she explained. “Especially around the holidays… that’s a very sensitive time, especially working with kids.”
Teaching kids the spirit of giving
McDowell says these drives are also a valuable lesson for students.
Teachers incorporate the topic into classroom discussions, helping children understand that some families may not always have food on the table.
“I see the kids telling their parents, ‘We’ve got to bring more cans, we’ve got to bring more cans!’ That’s exciting,” McDowell said. “It teaches the kids to have a sense of community and responsibility. We’re here to teach academics, but we also want them to have that sense of community.”
Toys for Tots: A personal mission
Once the Thanksgiving drive wraps up, the school will shift focus to its Toys for Tots campaign, running through Dec. 14. AI Montessori will serve as a local drop-off site for new, unwrapped toys, with a special emphasis on teens, who are often overlooked in toy drives.
For McDowell, this initiative is deeply personal, she told KPRC 2’s Zorrie Jones.
“As a single mom, I had a couple of years that I was struggling a lot around the holidays and I couldn’t provide toys for my kids,” she recalled. “Toys for Tots helped me during those two years. So when I thought about Christmas, that was at the top of my list. We will be a drop-off site for them for the holidays.”
How to help
You can drop off donations at AI Montessori Academy or call the school to schedule a pickup.
Location: AI Montessori Academy
Address: 11103 Mills Road, Cypress, TX 77429
Phone: 281-469-9616
Drop-off Hours: Monday–Friday, 6:30 a.m.–6:00 p.m.
Those interested in volunteering to help assemble and distribute Thanksgiving boxes can contact AI Montessori Academy, and the school will put them in touch with Cy-Fair Helping Hands.