By HANNAH STEELE-  The USDA reported in 2017 that 12.3% of American households are food insecure, which means that 1 in 8 families have struggled in providing food for their family members at some point in the year.  Because of this, the holiday season can prove difficult for some families to enjoy. In an effort to help combat hunger in the Indiana community, Key Club fund-raised for the Love Basket, a non-perishable food drive that benefits and provides food for those in need.  

The drive ran from November 18 to November 25 and resulted in 164 cans collected for families in Indiana County.  Three $10 Sheetz gift cards were awarded to junior Bonnie Lin Xu, senior Elana Bai, and sophomore Robert Short for donating the most non-perishable items.    

Although Key Club members earn service hours for donations to the fundraiser, Key Club Executive Board member and chairman of the Love Basket junior Sophia McCabe expressed a different motivation for donating, “We hope to donate as many canned goods as possible to show our support for our community. Our incentive for donating canned goods is knowing the huge impact on our community.  Yes, members are rewarded hours for the amount of goods brought in, but that is not our main motivation.”

“We’re very happy with the results of our Love Basket collection,” expressed junior Hannah Reilly, co-chair of the Love Basket and Key Club Executive Board member.  “It is a great way to help out the community in a simple and effective way. I enjoyed working on the Love Basket with the other chairs.”

While giving back to the community is rewarding during the holiday season, it also greatly impacts the lives of those in need.  The annual Love Basket collection at Indiana High each year helps to make sure that many needy families in the community are provided for during the holiday season. 

[Photo by Larry Nath]

Photo Caption: “Love Basket coordinators Hannah Reilly and Sophia McCabe tally donations.”