A hunger to do something
Ceilidh Miller is organizing a Halloween For Hunger food drive at her school, New Westminster Secondary.
Email
Print
Letter to Editor
Share
Updated: October 23, 2009 5:12 PM
Ceilidh Miller doesn’t know anyone personally who relies on the food bank. But, she admits, odds are one of her high school friends or classmates does.
It’s estimated that in Canada and the U.S. four out of 10 food bank users are children.
“That’s amazing. I had no clue,” said the Grade 11 student from New Westminster secondary school.
“And if kids aren’t eating properly, they’re less likely to do well at school.”
The fact that 40 per cent of food bank users are children has prompted Miller and others at the school to coordinate NWSS’s first annual Halloween for Hunger program. The goal is to get every student in the school to donate at least one canned food item, which will be then handed over to the New Westminster Food Bank.
The program starts Monday and runs until Friday.
“There’s 2,200 kids in the school and 130 staff. If everyone brought one can of food or more, that would be more than enough to feed a family for a year, which is amazing,” said Miller. “I’m hoping for that kind of response.”
Posters have been set up in the school along with drop-off areas for donations.
There’s also an opportunity for those trick or treating on Halloween night to ask their neighbours for food items.
And she’s also encouraging parents to get involved through their workplaces.
Miller got the idea for Halloween for Hunger after attending the Vancouver Free the Children We Day, Sept. 29 at GM Place. The day-long event, attended by 16,000 teenagers and children, celebrated the power of young people to change the lives of others.
Miller, a volunteer at the event, came away from it with a goal.
“It changed my life. After that I wanted to get more involved in my community,” she said. “I came away believing one person can make a difference.”
The Halloween for Hunger was one of the community initiatives recommended by the Free the Children society.
“It’s just one of the ideas,” said Miller. “We plan to get involved in some others.”
v2
