Emily Brittain Elementary School custodian Ray Gonzalez loads a laundry basket full of gifts, food and a boxed lunch into the trunk of an Emily Brittain parent on Saturday.The baskets were given to families at the school as part of a pilot program by the nonprofit Inspired Hearts and Hands of Gibsonia.

The front drive at Emily Brittain Elementary School was abuzz Saturday, as the school's 192 families received a trunkful of Christmas cheer and a happy holiday greeting from volunteers.

Principal Cassandra Pencek said the pilot program saw each family, regardless of their income, receive a laundry basket full of ingredients to whip up a holiday meal, a few wrapped gifts requested by their student and a boxed lunch for each member of the household.

In addition to the holiday meal ingredients, each food basket contained a gift certificate for a ham or turkey, and the festively wrapped gifts ranged from small items to bikes and doll houses.

The event was created after Mindy Schnitgen, founder and owner of the nonprofit Inspired Hearts and Hands of Gibsonia, met with officials from Center for Community Resources in Butler to ask which school in the city would most benefit from a food and toy drive.

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