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McMechen Students Coordinate Local Food Drive

Photo by Drew Parker Center McMechen Elementary School Principal Arica Holt, left, helps organized canned food drive bags with students Noah Grigsby and Anna Cubick.

Two local schools are collaborating to bring a second-grader’s dream of feeding the needy in his community to life.

Around Halloween 2013,  Noah Grigsby chose a unique charity over seasonal sweets after speaking with his mother about children in need at dinner. With help from his parents, Sarah and Peter Grigsby, the Center McMechen Elementary School student received canned foods for trick-or-treat, as opposed to standard candy offerings.

When the Grigsby home became inundated with canned goods last in 2014, Center McMechen Elementary Principal Arica Holt volunteered storage space in the school’s gym to help with the family’s goals. Holt said teachers will disclose what students may need the meal and arrangements will be made for delivery as needed.

Last week, Holt, along with Center McMechen faculty and 33 Bishop Donahue High School students, helped 60 fourth- and fifth-grade students distribute 1,200 specialized bags throughout the city for residents to fill with non-perishable items. The donations will go the elementary school’s food pantry in preparation for second annual Thanksgiving distributions and further Noah’s efforts.

Residents were asked to fill the bags with canned foods and place them on their porches by Saturday for students and faculty to retrieve them for the pantry. Volunteers from Bishop Donahue also delivered bags to Benwood after school this week.

According to Holt, the annual canned food drive resulted in 3,800 canned food items last year. This year’s goal is 4,000.

She added during American Education Week, each grade at the school will be assigned to collect a non perishable Thanksgiving food item for the drive to add to the numbers.

Holt said the drive is a beneficial service project for both students and the community.

“Unfortunately the number is increasing in our community of families not able to provide daily meals. We have a lot of hungry kids in the area, which affects their learning, attitudes and overall well being,” Holt said. “It’s our mission and our goal to partner with Bishop Donahue High School, which is also located in our community, to come together and work to stop hunger in our area.”

Bishop Donahue Principal Tom Wise said the community project is a good lesson for high school students.

“At a high school level, adults are the models for high school students. At the grade school level, anyone older is a role model for them. To see us go out, we do serve as role models for those kids,” Wise said. “Our kids and the adults in the building look forward to it every year. It’s a great collaborative effort and we learn from each other.”

Center McMechen Elementary student Maranda Weed said she enjoyed distributing bags in the area.

“I think it’s nice to give the bags to people who can help people who need food.”

Anyone interested in donating to the pantry can contact Center McMechen Elementary School at 304-232-6530.

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