A local food drive involving students from area schools donating
to less fortunate kids throughout the Central Coast is wrapping
up.
The 13th annual drive organized by the Second Harvest Food Bank
of San Benito and Santa Cruz counties, which started three weeks
ago, ends tomorrow. Last year, San Benito High School collected the
most food among involved high schools in both counties with 3,700
pounds. And Tres Pinos Union School collected the most food per
student at 3.7 pounds.
A local food drive involving students from area schools donating to less fortunate kids throughout the Central Coast is wrapping up.
The 13th annual drive organized by the Second Harvest Food Bank of San Benito and Santa Cruz counties, which started three weeks ago, ends tomorrow. Last year, San Benito High School collected the most food among involved high schools in both counties with 3,700 pounds. And Tres Pinos Union School collected the most food per student at 3.7 pounds.
Once the food is collected after this week, it will be transported to the Community Pantry in Hollister, where it will be sorted, packaged and distributed to hungry families. Aside from the obvious benefit of feeding people who can’t afford to eat sufficiently, the drive maintains an educational goal as well. Many school age kids, according to organizers, don’t realize their friends and neighbors may be hungry.
“Many of the teachers and educators can use it as great opportunity to educate students on the issue of hunger,” said Jeffrey Kongslie, a spokesman for the nonprofit organization.
Seventeen schools in San Benito County are participating this year, he said, which is about the same as 2002. While the organization runs several food drives throughout the year, the current campaign is the only one targeted at tapping the charity of kids. Second Harvest’s annual holiday drive, which mostly involves businesses and civic organizations, starts Nov. 6.
Second Harvest will award a computer to two schools – the one that collects the most food and another that collects the most food per student, Kongslie said.
The organization – which is aiming for a total of 99,000 pounds raised – emphasizes canned fruits, vegetables, meats, tuna, stews, pasta, beans, rice, peanut butter and other non-perishables. All food collected locally will stay in the county, he said.
For more information about the drive, call 722-7110.
