We are amazed at the outpouring of effort from local groups who have brainstormed, organized, promoted and hosted creative events and activities to benefit the Food Bank.
Thank you to each and every group that has stepped up to the challenge and joined the Campaign to End Hunger! Below are highlights of just some of these fabulous supporters.
During the 2009 Vacation Bible School session at St. John the Baptist in Plum Boro, students participated in a project to benefit the Food Bank. For their project they hosted a food drive and held a "pennies for peanut butter" campaign. Thanks to their efforts, they raised 645 pounds of food and over $300 to help the hungry!!! Thank you to all the students and teachers at St. John the Baptist Vacation Bible School!
Carrick High School Wages Penny War on Hunger by Nikki Economou, Start on Success Transition Instructor for Pittsburgh Public Schools
Acts of kindness come in many different forms: raising money for a local charity, collecting items for the homeless, cleaning up the local park, or just helping a stranger on the street. It's the ability of kindness to touch us and stick in our memories, which sometimes makes even small gestures a powerful and lasting force in our lives. The Start on Success MOVE II students at Pittsburgh Carrick High School got to experience this first hand. They raised over $1,000 for Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank.
During the second semester of their tenth grade year the students learned that the focus of the classroom would revolve around a service learning project. The students first worked in groups to identify problems in their community. Next, they brainstormed different ideas of how to solve those problems, including collecting blankets for the homeless, volunteering at the Special Olympics, cleaning up the community, and many other noble acts of humanity.
As a group, they decided to hold a fundraiser for the local community food bank. The students decided on a penny war competition among homerooms, in which points were earned for every penny collected and points were deducted for nickels, dimes and quarters. Before long, other groups requested their own buckets. Everyone, including the custodians, cafeteria staff, counselors and our own Carrick security wanted to be involved. It brought about great school spirit and camaraderie to Carrick High School as everyone got involved and was excited to win the competition.
Before they started, they wrote letters to faculty members asking for containers, designed signs to promote their fundraiser, and designed a cover for each of the participating groups. On April 13, 2009 the war began. The students sat at the lunch tables encouraging students to bring in their pennies, and also, sabotage other buckets with nickels, dimes, quarters, and dollar bills. Soon teachers and students alike were involved; scheming and putting together little devious plans on how they were going to win the pizza party for their homeroom.
After three weeks the Start on Success MOVE II students raised a total of $1,240! The Cast of Company was the overall winner with the counselors not far behind. The students were very proud of their accomplishments and excited to present the check to Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. Many of the students expressed how they never thought that this fundraiser would be such a success, but how proud and happy they were to be a part of it all. This was such a great learning experience for all of the students, and at the same time, it brought about a community of caring at our school. We look forward to holding this competition as our yearly fundraiser.
Keystone Oaks Students Collect Pennies for Change
Just outside the city of Pittsburgh, a group of Keystone Oaks (K.O.) students rounded up their extra pennies and threw them in jars; then they brought them to school. It may seem rather insignificant but all those pennies added up fast. It was a school-wide (grades 6-12) collection for Pennies for Peanut Butter, a Food Bank initiative that is part of the Kids Campaign to End Hunger.
The kids were motivated by Rachel Joy Scott’s Challenge, a mission of kindness and compassion (she was a victim the 1999 Columbine High School shootings). K.O. used Rachel’s challenge as a way to participate in the Kids Campaign to End Hunger, which shows that kids are powerful and that their awareness and commitment can have a huge impact on the world around them. Not only did students learn the meaning of philanthropy, they also learned that a small donation can go a long way. The school collected a total of $1,077.00, which will help to feed hungry families throughout southwestern Pennsylvania.
During economic times like these, the Food Bank is especially grateful to kids like those from Keystone Oaks School District. It’s no wonder that the students at K.O. High School and Middle School were so passionate about making their pennies count. They had a clear mission, a purpose, and a plan. Keystone Oaks students proved that kids really can change the world!
Girl Scouts Help in a Variety of Ways
On Friday, June 12th five Girls Scouts from Troop 50068 volunteered in the Repack Center. They diligently worked to help us repack onions for distribution. After a three hour shift of volunteering, the Scouts stayed for an educational presentation. The girls listened to the Food Bank story intently and asked many thoughtful questions. In addition to volunteering, the Scouts brought a very generous food drive donation. Big thanks to Troop 50068 for all of their hard work and dedication.
