New London — Staff from New London High School joined with police and firefighters on Friday to complete the distribution of food and gifts for 50 families across the region.

The holiday program was conceived by high school culinary instructor Thomas Johnson, known to his students and everybody else as “Chef Tomm.”

Johnson had run a successful “Cupcake Wars” fundraiser at the school, which collected $600 toward the purchase of food for families in need. ShopRite Supermarkets, through the Anne Capano Charitable Foundation, donated $1,000. The money was used to purchase boxes full of ingredients for a holiday meal — ham, dinner rolls, lettuce, rice, potatoes, carrots and more.

Some of the food donations were combined with gifts and clothing gathered during a holiday drive conducted jointly by the school district and New London firefighters and police officers. Among the people delivering food this week was New London High School Principal Tommy Thompson, police Officers Max Bertsch and Brendan Benway and firefighter Joe Nott.