(ST. JOSEPH, Mo.) Fifth graders at Hosea Elementary came up with a solution to a problem they see in their school.
"They just kept saying 'we know that the kids are hungry,'" Leticia Gerling, a 5th-grade teacher at Hosea said.
The group of fifth-graders took it upon themselves to attempt to fight hunger in their school by providing a pantry for kids in need to eat a quick meal.
"We really wanted to help some people," Keelea Petro, a student said. "We just want to help the school and the community."
The kids reached out to Ventura Foods which helped stock the pantry, staff with foodservice company said it was the perfect way to give back.
"Our core focus is on hunger in the area," Jan Philippe, Ventura Foods said. "We like to give back to our community."
Gerling said making the pantry possible was a process for the kids, they had to seek approval from the school district to make the pantry possible, and even write letters Ventura foods.
"We were very excited when we heard that we could get a place to donate money and stuff to help build our pantry," Petro said.
Getting the pantry up and running is a major success for students and teachers, they said it teaches kids things that go beyond the classroom.
"That really hit my heart," Gerling said. "they were not thinking about themselves."
Hosea Elementary is accepting donations for the new pantry, contact Hosea Elementary School for more information.
