On Tuesday, March 28th, a portion of Menchville’s student body stayed after-school for a Stop Hunger Now food packaging event. The event, also put on last year, is a part of the school’s Lead to Feed initiative to help combat hunger on the Peninsula. Twenty-one fourth graders from BC Charles Elementary School were also brought over by their teacher Lori Tatum to help with the event.

Kimberly Davies, one of the collaboration specialists at Menchville, coordinated the event through the international program Rise Against Hunger; an organization driven towards eliminating world hunger by 2030. The events works by having volunteers package nutritional meals that are later distributed to food insecure communities. In Menchville’s case, all packaged meals are benefitting the Peninsula Food bank.

“It’s a positive experience where the students get to be a part of something bigger than themselves. They give their time and talent to be a part of something good,” said Davies.

Menchville’s student body was able to package 10,000 meals and also raised $3,000.00 for the cause.

Junior Kylie Collins is a second year participant in the food packaging event. When asked about what drives her to participate in the activity, she responded with the following: “It’s not okay that students or communities should starve simply because they don’t have the right supplies, so if we have enough supplies, we should help them no matter what. I came away from this experience thankful for what I have in my own home.”