Schoolchildren and staff are celebrating the 12th anniversary of a well-established tradition, held for the benefit of people who benefit from food aid from SOS Dépannage-Moisson Granby. This year, there are around 750 young people, grouped in 23 school groups, involved and united against hunger. Without forgetting the cohort managers and the main organizer, Marie-Claude Bienvenue.
“A food drive is held in anticipation of the holiday season, but hunger does not rest. The shelves are empty and our goal is to replenish them. We want the most vulnerable people to benefit from the food harvested,” explains the pastoral facilitator and manager of community projects.
As part of the food drive, each group of students collects food for a specific clientele. One fills the box intended for an elderly couple. The other is mobilizing for a single-parent woman and her children. The cases taught in class are fictitious and educational, but represent the reality on the ground. The aim of this simulation is to increase awareness and motivate students.
During the last version, the students collected 735 food items. (Mont-Sacré-Cœur College)
“We want each group to collect food to support a family for a week. The students feel challenged. The exercise seems to be working. They are touched by the situations experienced by people in need,” adds the lady.
In addition, the latter mentions that the class having collected the most food will have access to a frozen candy bar next month. This initiative aims to enhance motivation that is already present.
“We have a bulletin board and a paper ice cream cone for each group. In the morning, we add a scoop of ice cream for every ten new items collected by class members. In the end, it makes a beautiful visual!”
Appeal to the population
Preparations are going well, we assure you. Citizens who wish to contribute to this spring food drive will be able to drop off their non-perishable foods by going to the college reception hall, from April 29 to May 3. The young volunteers will count and box the items, for delivery to the premises of the beneficiary organization.
“This year, our goal is 2,500 items. If it is possible to raise more, the students would be very happy.”
— Marie-Claude Welcome
Remember that last year, students and donors together collected 735 items. The record was set in the middle of a pandemic, in 2021, with the harvest of 2,100 foodstuffs. To this wave of generosity was added an amount of $900.
Citizens will soon be able to drop off their food at Collège Mont-Sacré-Cœur. (Mont-Sacré-Cœur College)
This year, those responsible for the collection are counting on an official partner, Camions BL. The Lamoureux family business undertakes to donate one dollar for each commodity received up to $2,500. The funds will be directly donated to SOS Dépannage-Moisson Granby.
“We are very happy to see a former student, Samuel Lamoureux, participating in the initiative. For us, as members of the school staff, the activity is the perfect opportunity to teach the benefits of mutual aid and community work. It’s important, the spirit of solidarity,” concludes Marie-Claude Bienvenue, obviously feverish a few days before the big launch.
