Drive helps pack pantry until holiday season arrives - ThisWeekNews

Drive helps pack pantry until holiday season arrives - ThisWeekNews

The Canal Winchester High School football team, students and community will be tackling hunger Friday, Sept. 2, as the team faces Athens High School on the gridiron.

The annual Football for Food and competition got underway Aug. 29, as Canal Winchester students were encouraged to bring items to their classrooms for donation to the local food pantry.

Penny Miller, administrator for Canal Winchester Human Services, said the event is one of two fundraisers held each year to replenish the Canal Winchester Community Food Pantry. The other is the SOUPer Bowl in February.

But, she said, the yearly effort does more than just fill the pantry's shelves.

Thanks to the work of district staff members, teachers, students and residents, Miller said Football for Food makes beating hunger a community goal.

Superintendent Jim Sotlar agreed.

"We have a great partnership with Canal Winchester Human Services and this event brings the school and community together to help support those in need," Sotlar said.

Last year, the food pantry provided about 100,000 meals to families in the Canal Winchester school district, Miller said.

Since September is designated as Hunger Month, she said the food drive is coming at just the right time.

"Hunger is a silent issue in the Canal Winchester community and one that many people don't realize exists," Miller said. "The fact, however, is that our Community Food Pantry served more than 1,200 people in the last year.

"Hunger deficiency affects our students, our families and our neighbors. It is our hope that the Football for Food event will remind everyone how important it is to support Canal Winchester Human Services and the Community Food Pantry," Miller said.

On Thursday, Sept. 1, students at Indian Trail and Winchester Trail elementary schools planned to march food donations to the Human Services tent outside the schools where the items brought in by each class would be counted.

The middle school and high school collections are scheduled to be tallied Friday, Sept. 2.

The class contributing the most food items in each building will receive a pizza party.

Also on Friday, members of the high school student council will be collecting food items at the entrance gate to the football field before the game.

Football patrons who bring nonperishable food items to the stadium will receive free admission.

Miller said Football for Food usually provides 12,000 items for the food pantry.

"This is enough to sustain the pantry for about two months, until the time we begin to receive holiday contributions," she said.

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