By HANNAH STEELE – In America, one in six people face hunger on a daily basis. According to the USDA, there are 3.9 million households where both children and adults are “food insecure” in the country. Imagine how hard it is for these struggling families to enjoy the holiday season.
IHS Key Club is trying to fend off hunger around the holidays in the community. On Monday, November 13, the Love Basket Fundraiser began at IHS. This program encourages students to bring canned goods and non-perishable food items to the school which will be donated to the local food bank to help hungry families in Indiana.
The fundraiser ended on Friday, November 17, and over 300 cans were accumulated through donations from students and teachers. Members of Key Club donated a total of 189 cans, with the freshmen collecting the most, 78 cans. Along with these, 4th Street Bilo donated two turkeys and several assorted canned goods for the Love Basket.
“Love Basket is a great cause where you see it affect the community immediately,” senior Anthony Lubold stated, who is on the Key Club Executive Board and was the chairman of the Love Basket. “All of the proceeds go directly to the local food bank.”
Sydney Jones, the co-chair of the fundraiser, was happy with the cause she helped out with, “Not to discredit any other fundraisers, but I think that the Love Basket is important because it benefits people in our community. The items aren’t being sent to a place far away, but rather families and friends that we possibly attend school with.”
As an incentive to contribute canned goods to the Love Basket, Key Club awarded its members one service hour per five cans that were donated. The grade who brought in the most cans in Key Club were all promised Smiley Cookies from Eat n’ Park.
Junior Theresa Lamantia really appreciated the fundraiser, “I think that the Love Basket is an important fundraiser because it helps struggling families in Indiana have a happy holiday season. It is important for everyone to be able to celebrate the holidays, and giving back can make this possible.”
During the holidays, small acts of kindness, like giving back, can greatly affect people’s lives. IHS Key Club gave back and made it possible for struggling families to have a happy holiday season through the Love Basket.
[Photo by Hannah Steele]
Photo Caption: “Seniors Anthony Lubold and Dominic Ciocca are hard at work stacking canned goods in Mrs. Juart’s display case for the Love Basket.”
