An hour’s enough to make a difference in thousands of lives ? Clarkston students are ready to prove it.
Students in Clarkston High School’s Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) club are organizing the first annual Kids Against Hunger, March 10.
“It shows kids can make a difference and a huge difference,” said Morgan Addis, head of the club. “You are never too young. It’s cool to inspire the underclassman. If I can do it, you can do it.”
Kids Against Hunger helps local organizations as well as national and international organizations, Addis explained.
A third of the donations go to a local food shelter, third to a national disaster relief organization, and the rest to developing countries.
“One dollar feeds 42 children,” Krista Deo said. “It’s eye opening.”
During the one hour, beginning at 10 a.m., volunteers package a cup of soy, cup of rice, tablespoon of dried vegetables and tablespoon of chicken seasoning into each bag.
Each bag feeds six adults or 12 children, Addis said.
The food is formulated to meet nutritional needs of a person suffering from malnutrition or starvation.
The community can help by donating money ? either $10 or $25 ? or an hour, 10-11 a.m. on March 10 to pack food.
Addis explained $10 covers the cost of food for 428 children and $25 feeds 1,071 children. Each package of food is 28 cents to make. They hope to help at least 120,000 kids.
The organization started this year after Addis decided she wanted help as she planned this year’s Relay for Life.
“Our advisors, Jessica O’Rorke and Lisa Donley, wanted to start a club and we decided, why not,” she added. “It is the perfect community service project.”
Since they had time before Relay for Life in the spring, they decided to try Kids Against Hunger, a organization Donley knew through Birmingham schools. They also partnered with Blessings in a Backpack for the event.
For Kids Against Hunger, check in is 9:40 a.m., Saturday, March 10, at the high school cafeteria. They will have a kids corner with activities as will as speakers from Kids Against Hunger and Blessings in a Backpack. If they have enough volunteers, they will make blankets to donate to a local clothing shelter.
“Anyone can come,” invited Morgan Ritthaler. “Plus the bags go right to the kids in the different countries.”
“Thank you everyone for supporting us,” Addis added. “Even the littlest bit went a long way. We couldn’t have done it without their support – either in advice or donations.”
For more information, contact Donley at ldonley@clarkston.k12.mi.us.