This article was published on Daily Press on June 6, 2016 by Jane Hammond
Thanks to nearly 6,600 canned goods collected, 10,000 meals served and $4,000 raised for two anti-hunger causes this year, Menchville High School students have won even more for the Virginia Peninsula Foodbank.
The school has been awarded a $25,000 grant from Lead2Feed Student Leadership Program, which encourages student leadership skills by completing a service project.
Menchville students chose to take on hunger. Over the past two years, students have donated more than $36,000 and 10,000 pounds of food to the foodbank, and packaged or served more than 13,000 meals. In all, the endeavor has taken over 500 volunteer hours.
“We’re extremely grateful to receive this donation,” said Michele Benson, chief development officer for the Virginia Peninsula Foodbank. “They have just done a fantastic job. They won $10,000 for us last year (from Lead2Feed) and they were determined to be the grand prize winner. They worked so hard to achieve this goal. It’s just great to see a group of young people get together and work really hard and make such a tremendous difference in the community.”
Benson said that for every dollar the foodbank receives, they can provide four meals to those in need.
Earning the top prize was a school-wide effort. Students from various classes and clubs held a talent show and crafted ceramic bowls for auction. English and art classes collaborated on a coloring story book about hunger which will be distributed to elementary school students in the school division’s summer SPARK program.
“All age groups participated from freshmen to seniors, and faculty and staff got behind it,” Benson said. “It’s great to see a group of people come together.”