Each year, Loyola College Prep students put their faith into action for local families in need during the holiday season. This year Audrey Dufrene, Ashton Farr, and Maggie Hodges, will take the reins as the chairmen for Flyers Aiding the Hungry (F.Ai.T.H.) 2022.
For the past 33 years F.Ai.T.H. has worked to provide a holiday meal for disadvantaged families in the Shreveport-Bossier area. Supported by fundraisers, donations, and basket sales, the F.Ai.T.H. organization is able to raise the more than $30,000 necessary to sponsor this event.
Since its inception in 1988, and through the partnerships with area businesses, local elementary schools and middle schools, and the generosity of our many Loyola families and alumni, F.Ai.T.H. has been able to serve over 20,000 families in our community.
The chairmen have already started planning for the December 5, 2022 event and are optimistic that it will be back in the Loyola Gym this year as opposed to a drive through the last two years due to COVID.
Let’s hear from each of them about their vision, passion, and what they are looking forward to most for this year’s F.Ai.T.H. event.
Audrey Dufrene I have wanted to be a F.Ai.T.H. chairperson ever since I became a member freshman year. Going to St. Joseph Catholic School I was exposed to the bond with Loyola and that included a canned food drive in the fall to support F.Ai.T.H. So, the thought of joining continued on into high school and my freshmen class was lucky enough to experience the last indoor F.Ai.T.H. day before COVID. It was truly an eye-opening day and I knew that going forward I wanted to have a more active role in serving the community.
I am ready to get started on fundraising and working with the different charities within our area! I am excited to work with my fellow chairman in order to get the student body and community engaged in activities that will give us the opportunity to have a great F.Ai.T.H day.
To me, being a part of this project is an incredible responsibility and opportunity because I have seen through my years as a member and officer of F.Ai.T.H. how impactful this day is to these families. In such a financially demanding season, I just hope that we can ease some of their stress and put smiles on their faces. As for the tradition F.Ai.T.H. continues to leave at Loyola, I think it speaks for itself. The fact that I get to leave my mark along with all the past Chairman is an amazing honor, and I can not wait to get started!
Ashton Farr F.Ai.T.H. chairman is a title that I'm honored to have and have wanted since freshman year. FAiTH is an amazing organization, and I was very inspired by the people we have served in the past. They are the ones who inspired me to want to become a chairman.
I’m looking forward to doing F.Ai.T.H. in the gym again this year post COVID. The drive through was very successful and really well done, but I'm excited for it to be more interactive again and bring back Santa and all of the things that are truly the spirit of F.Ai.T.H.
F.Ai.T.H. has been at the heart of both the community and Loyola for many years. It's an honor to hold the title and even more special to me to carry on my mom’s legacy when she started it 34 years ago. Giving back to the community as a Loyola community is so incredibly rewarding and I hope we as a group this year can do the organization and the people who come to it justice.
Maggie Hodges I wanted to be a F.Ai.T.H. chairman because I truly believe in the cause and want to help the community. It is important to me that I do everything in my power to ensure that families who come to F.Ai.T.H. receive a basket.
In addition to the actual F.Ai.T.H. day, I am most excited about fundraising and raising awareness about F.Ai.T.H. We have many ideas for fundraisers that our entire community, not just Loyola, can participate in.
I am very grateful for the opportunity to organize and be in charge of a tradition that means so much to Loyola. Knowing that I have been entrusted with this responsibility makes me very proud to represent our school. I hope that I and my fellow chairmen make our Loyola family proud and make this the best year for F.Ai.T.H yet!