On Thursday, May 24, Belmont Secondary school students will be heading out into the community with empty bins. But in the hours to follow, those bins are expected to be full of food for low-income families in the West Shore.
As part of the third annual Spring out of Hunger food drive, students will be going door-to-door to neighbourhoods around the West Shore collecting non-perishable food items for the Goldstream Food Bank.
“[Spring] isn’t the time of year that people are thinking of food donations,” said leadership teacher Rachael Sandberg, who along with teacher Mandart Chan helped support the initiative. “This is one of the few that happens this time of year and collects this much food at once in the West Shore.”
RELATED: Students learn valuable lessons at the 10,000 Tonight food drive
In the fall, the school, alongside Royal Bay Secondary and Edward Milne Community School in Sooke, put on the 10,000 Tonight fundraiser which also collects items for local food banks.
However, the food only lasted about six months, prompting students to come up with the spring fundraiser to help provide food year-round. New this year, as students collect food it will be dropped off at the Langford Legion, where the food bank is located.
Students hope to collect 5,000 items – roughly half of what they collect with 10,000 Tonight – to help those in need.
“When I first learned that Canada had a really high poverty rate, I didn’t want to believe it,” said Grade 11 student Chris Nix. “But after I attended the food drives I realized how far the food only stretched. It made me realize how much people need this.”
Grade 12 student Jon Bel said it’s great to see the community come together for a good cause.
“Just how everybody comes together and brings the school community and members of the larger community together to form something is great,” he said.
RELATED: Spring Out of Hunger food drive gears up in Langford
Spring out of Hunger takes place on Thursday, May 24 from 5 to 9 p.m. Volunteer drivers to help students transport the food and door-to-door collectors are still needed for the evening.
Residents can also drop off items at the Langford Legion (761 Station Ave.), and those living in apartments or condos are encouraged to do their own drive, which students will come and collect.
Cash, infant food, baby formula, bathroom tissue, and personal hygiene products will also be accepted.
For more information visit the Spring out of Hunger 2018 Facebook page or to volunteer email rsandberg@sd62.bc.ca.