Fairfield Prep is once again joining fellow Jesuit high schools in the Great Ignatian Challenge Food Drive to raise awareness of hunger in our communities, while filling local food banks and pantries with tens of thousands of pounds of much-needed provisions for needy families. 

Eighteen Jesuit high schools from nine states – New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, Maryland, Missouri, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Washington,  and the District of Columbia - have announced the launch of the seventh annual Great Ignatian Challenge, an annual holiday food drive competition intended to raise the students’ awareness of hunger and inspire them to take action by working to fill their local food banks, pantries, and community centers with tens of thousands of pounds of much-needed provisions. This friendly but spirited competition will run through November 23. Last year, the schools participating in The Great Ignatian Challenge collected and distributed over 334,400 pounds of food. Over the past six years, The Great Ignatian Challenge has collected and distributed over 937,000 pounds of food!

The greater Prep Community may donate by bringing goods to school, or by purchasing goods through our donation page YouGiveGoods.com. 

NOTE: Each student is requested to donate 25 ITEMS to reach our goal. Canned and non-perishable goods are requested (No Ramen noodles please).

DoNATE ONLINE TODAY!

About the Great Ignatian Challenge

Fordham Prep alumnus, Jim Rowen, will personally support the Challenge, this year pledging over half million dollars to support the schools’ efforts. The eighteen schools will compete for tiered awards based on criteria identified by Mr. Rowen, including the most amount of food collected per student. This year, monies will go towards supporting financial assistance programs and endowments at the participating schools. Inspired by the commitment to social justice and service to the community that lies at the heart of Jesuit education, Mr. Rowen has generously donated more than $1,830,000 towards the Great Ignatian Challenge competitions over the last six years. His desire is to open this competition up to even more schools next year.

This year the participating schools are: 

• Boston College High School (Boston, MA) 

• Canisius High School (Buffalo, NY) 

• Cheverus High School (Portland, ME) 

• De Smet Jesuit (St. Louis, MO)

• Fairfield College Preparatory School (Fairfield, CT) 

• Fordham Preparatory School (The Bronx) 

• Georgetown Prep (North Bethesda, MD) 

• Gonzaga College High School (Washington, DC)

• Gonzaga Preparatory (Spokane, WA) 

• Loyola School (Manhattan)

• Loyola Blakefield (Towson, MD)

• McQuaid Jesuit (Rochester, NY)

• Regis High School (Manhattan)

• Rockhurst High School (Kansas City, MO)

• St. Joseph’s Prep (Philadelphia, PA)

• Saint Peter’s Prep (Jersey City, NJ) 

• Scranton Prep (Scranton, PA) 

• Xavier High School (Manhattan)

The schools are all sponsored by the Jesuit Schools Network and the Challenge derives its name from the 16th-century saint, Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Jesuits, who taught, "Love consists of sharing what one has and what one is with those one loves. Love ought to show itself in deeds more than in words."