Students challenge community to meet mile of food goal
WAYNESBURG – The gauntlet has been thrown down to area businesses by students in the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America chapter at Greene County Career and Technology Center.
These students, who are enrolled in the child care services and culinary programs at the GCCTC, are challenging others to donate enough money to purchase a one-tenth of a mile of food. The project is part of the 2013 “Share our strength – No kid hungry,” outreach program of the Pennsylvania FCCLA.
“The state FCCLA project is for each FCCLA chapter to collect food products and measure them end-to-end. The overall goal is to reach a mile of food for the state organization. Our kids are challenging the community to help them reach one mile in their chapter alone,” said GCCTC culinary arts instructor Dan Wagner. As donations are collected the food will be measured and a running tally kept.
Students from the child care services and culinary programs at the GCCTC will be dropping empty boxes at various locations throughout Greene County in December for donations of nonperishable foods. Wagner said students hope to engage their counterparts in each of the five school districts across the county to help them reach their goal.
“After doing some creative calculating, the magic number to sponsor one-tenth of a mile of food is $750,” said Jan Caldwell, director of the Corner Cupboard Food Bank, noting the effort is especially significant in the fight against hunger because it is coming from children.
“These are difficult times right now with incomes going down and bills going up,” Wagner said.
Educators often see firsthand the need for food programs. Many students come to school hungry. It is a hard fact of life that administrators, teachers and even fellow students experience, he said.
“What we’re going to focus on for our mile is it is going to be for the kids. We want to purchase kid friendly food items so no kid goes hungry,” Wagner said. “Breakfast cereal, SpaghettiOs, pastas, fruits – anything a kid can get up and grab a bite on the run are things we would like to see donated.”
With three children of his own Wagner said he knows cereal can be a staple of a child’s existence.
“They eat cereal anytime of the day. My kids go through bowls of cereal with milk like crazy,” Wagner said. “I’ve noticed there isn’t as much cereal in a box as there used to be either.” Fortunately, the nutritional value of cereal has increased over the years even as the content inside the boxes has decreased.
The drive for the mile of food starts today and will continue through Jan. 31 with all of the food items being distributed by Corner Cupboard Food Bank.
Wagner is asking anyone who attends the annual culinary Christmas buffet Dec. 13 to consider donating a food item at the event. The buffet will be held at the GCCTC from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Cost is $10 per person.
“There are over 16 million children in America that struggle with hunger. That is just crazy,” Wagner said. “This is a good project that gives kids an opportunity to help other kids who are hungry.”