Kalamazoo Public Schools issued the following announcement on Feb. 11.
Kalamazoo Central High School organized another highly successful K.C. Feeds Kzoo food drive in December. Student volunteers collected 13,350 pounds of food, far exceeding the goal of 12,500 pounds. And they collected $9,015, which was more than their goal of $9,000.
Teacher and National Honor Society advisor Rex Hafer, who helps students organize the event, said Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes, which is the beneficiary of the drive, says the Kalamazoo Central event is the second largest food drive in the area, following the post office drive in May.
Last year, students collected 10,000 pounds of food and more than $7,700 in monetary donations.
Student organizers were positive that they could exceed last year's goals — one, because the students are committed to the project, and two, because Kalamazoo is a generous community.
Senior Chloe Carlson, president of the KC National Honor Society, which spearheads the drive, said she had high expectations last year.
“But, that was nothing compared to the generosity I saw of people giving back in our community,” she said. “People were so kind. Even if they didn’t receive a flier, they were willing to give us whatever they had, whether it was the change in their pockets, or going into their cabinets and searching for food. It was a really warm feeling to see how loving our community is and how willing they are to help people in need.
“Sometimes you knocked on people’s doors and even though they’d obviously rather not open them, they opened them with open arms. It was cool to see.”
The 2019 drive launched with food collections at school beginning Dec. 1 and concluding on Dec. 14, with the annual Stuff the Bus event at the Harding’s Friendly Market on West Main. In between, there were neighborhood collections, a charity concert at Old Dog Tavern, requests for sponsorships and donations from area businesses, and food collection boxes at area establishments.
Maddie Quintanilla, a senior, and the NHS treasurer, has been participating in the drive for two years, like Carlson. She said students love participating in the event.
“It’s a great cause. We can see what others are going through. I love being able to help others who need it,” Quintanilla said. “We all do. We truly do care about everybody in our community. This is the place where we’ve grown up. It’s our home.”
Quintanilla and Carlson said they hope to involve KC’s two feeder middle schools — Hillside and Linden Grove in the project. And, eventually, they’d love the program to reach all the way down to the elementary school level.
Carlson said students are very aware of the issues of hunger and food insecurity. They also see it in the general community, but they also see it among their classmates, who do not have enough food in their everyday lives. Providing a stable source of food is key to improving the community, she said.
“Knowing we can make a difference drives us,” she said.
● Stuff the Bus - 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Dec. 14, Harding’s Friendly Market, 5161 W. Main St. Bring donations of canned goods and cash to help students stuff a school bus with food for Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes. Other donation sites will be at area businesses around the city.
● Neighborhood collections. Students will distribute fliers in select neighborhoods. On Dec. 14, students will go door-to-door in those neighborhoods to collect food from residents and to collect food left out for the drive.
● KC Feeds Kzoo Charity Concert with the Out of Favor Boys and the Kaitlin Rose Duo, 6-9 p.m. Dec. 12, Old Dog Tavern, 402 E. Kalamazoo Ave. $5 cover includes one raffle ticket, other raffle tickets available for purchase.
Original source can be found here.
Source: Kalamazoo Public Schools
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