For many, the holiday season marks a heightened time for food scarcity.
Students and communities that rely on schools and programs for their meals don’t always receive the necessary resources during the holiday break. According to the San Diego Food Bank, an estimated 743,000 individuals are nutrition insecure — 23 % of San Diegans. Of that percentage, 194,000 are children.
In an effort to curtail food shortages, Patrick Henry High School (PHHS) held their annual food drive from Nov. 1 – 15. The event was put on by their Associated Student Body (ASB) and collected items were donated directly to their PHHS families and the San Diego Food Bank.
This year they were able to raise more than 1,600 pounds of food donations, according to ASB Commissioners of Community Service Brayden Gross and Clara McLemore.
The two juniors were instrumental in the development, leadership and facilitation of the event, which they both feel is a worthy and needed cause.
“We do this drive around our break to make sure the donations go to families during Thanksgiving time,” Gross explained.
“We always check in with Patrick Henry families to see if they need anything, they get priority and the rest is donated to the food bank,” McLemore added.
Families requesting food items are kept anonymous and confidential and are consulted by Biology Instructor, ASB and Student Activities Director and Senior Class Advisor Autumn Ross.
She detailed her feelings on the drive and commitment of her students.
“My hope in helping students organize these drives is to expose teenagers to the importance of being active in the community, seeing the needs of our community and responding to those needs,” Ross said. “Servant leadership is an important mindset and skill that if developed in our high school community, is more likely to be something they prioritize as adults. Collective human experiences like serving those less fortunate is a way to build and foster stronger community ties through shared goals and initiatives. These actions improve the lives of those they are aiming to serve while also forging stronger connections within communities.”
For two weeks, each of the school’s fourth period classes received a basket for food collecting. Every ASB student was assigned and visited between two and three classes to collect and encourage food donations. Parents, families and community members that wanted to contribute were also able to drop off their food items at the school’s front office.
“Majority of the donations were cans, beans and rice, things that preserve well,” McLemore said. “We made sure to check expiration dates before donating just to make sure everything was all good.”
After their two-week period, the San Diego Food Bank visited PHHS to collect the products — which took up three large bins.
Hoping to further impact the community during this time, PHHS has also started a blood drive.
“Between the food and blood drive, hopefully they can help anyone in need,” Gross remarked. “Especially around the holidays, it’s important to make sure everyone is comfortable and eating well.”
Both Gross and McLemore emphasized that PHHS is here to support their community during times of need.
“We want to make sure that everyone has the resources they need and have easy access to them, especially if they’re nervous to reach out,” McLemore said. “We’re always here.”
From 1,600 pounds of food items and the blood drive, the dedication of each of Patrick Henry High School’s students are likely to impact many.
