Hope students collect cans to fill food pantry shelves

Valley Breeze & Observer

Correspondent

SCITUATE - The front foyer of the Hope Elementary School is piled with evidence of the students' community spirit and generosity.

In only a week, students and their families donated more than 1,000 cans of soup, vegetables, tuna, and other non perishable food items.

Organized and run by the school's 12-member student council and their leaders, Principal Janice Mowry and 5th-grade teacher Marissa Gauvin, the initiative garnered hundreds of pounds of food for the town's food pantry and gave the students a sense of accomplishment and purpose, Mowry said.

"The students showed remarkable independence planning the event and organizing the food once it came into the school. Their enthusiasm was obvious," said Mowry.

"They have been very responsible about gathering the food and stacking it neatly," she added. "I'm very proud of them."

The outpouring of donations surprised and pleased the student council members and made them feel good about reaching out to help the community.

"We wanted to help people and to make sure that no one goes hungry this year. It feels good to help other people and to be a friend to them," said 5th-grader Joe Poccia, 10.

Fifth-grader Megan Floor, 10, said she enjoyed her role in organizing the event.

"I made a couple of announcements and spoke to the classes to remind them to bring food in for the people who need it," she said.

Others enjoyed the physical activity involved with organizing the huge piles of food.

"I liked stacking the cans," said 10-year-old 5th-grader Daniel Lawrence.

"We got a lot of exercise carrying the cans up and down the stairs and stacking them," said 10-year-old Christian Eminger.

The students said family support was key to the success of the food drive.

Fifth-grader Camryn Austin, 10, said, "I told my grandma about it and she went out and bought seven cans."

Fourth-grader Matt Weller, 9, said, "We passed around the note to my family and they all bought cans for me to bring to school."

Parting with favorite items wasn't always easy and the sacrifice was tough for some. Matt reported that his sister's favorite soup was donated from the family's pantry. How did she handle it?

"We didn't tell her," said Matt.

Mowry said that the school is eligible for a $1 reimbursement per can from the Alan Shawn Feinstein Foundation for their community service project. "We plan to use the money to provide an educational program that had been cut from this year's PTO budget."

Students say that the food drive has already provided a valuable learning experience.

"I learned that it's important to help people in need," said Cory Eminger, 10.