For the past couple weeks Harrisonburg High School (HHS) students, along with students from two other high schools in the area, have participated in a food drive to help reduce the number of hungry families in the Shenandoah Valley. In total, HHS collected more than 1700 cans!

“If people help and contribute to the food drive, we can get lots of food for the hungry. Not only in the Valley are people hungry, but all over America, people aren’t getting all three of their meals. In some cases, parents are not eating so their kids can. It is really sad,” Mr. Antonnicola (Mr.A), the Key Club advisor, said.

Overall the food drive was very beneficial.

“It was successful.  Seventeen hundred cans is a lot of work; it will help feed lots of people,” Mr. A said.

It’s important to help with food drives so we can give back to our community. There are a lot more hungry people in our community than people think, even in our own school,” fellow Key Club member, freshman Nicole Downey said.

In the Valley, according to Blue Ridge Area Food Bank, one in 10 people do not know where they will get their next meal. The number of people this food bank serves has increased by 152% from 2001-2011. Most of the people the agency serves are unemployed or living in poverty.

“It’s saddening that that many people are hungry. It’s hidden.  Unlike actual starvation, when people are hungry it means that they might only have one or two meals a day, or they have to choose between paying their bills or eating,” Ruth Jones of the the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank said.

High school students can easily get involved too.

“Volunteering is very important. Last year, we had more than 15,000 hours donated. It is great when schools do food drives. One dollar is equivalent to four meals, so it doesn’t take that much to make a difference,” Jones said.

Clearly, it is very important to give back to our community in many ways. A food drive is one important way we can do that. The food drive that HHS students just finished was overall a huge success and in the end will probably help thousands of hungry people.