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Happening ... in the Local Church
 Seniors
at Central Catholic Junior-Senior High School, Lafayette, recently spent
a day helping to repackage food for Food Finders Food Bank. (Photo by
Caroline Mooney) |
By Caroline B. Mooney
The Catholic
Moment
LAFAYETTE — Central Catholic Junior-Senior High School “is about Jesus Christ, and he told us to feed the hungry and the thirsty,” says Ed Boes, Food Finders Food Bank operations manager. On March 20, the school’s 56 seniors helped Food Finders package bulk food into usable sizes for distribution to families.
“We are really teaching kids about service,” Boes said. “This is more than a good deed; it’s the Church’s work.”
“Donations to Food Finders have remained steady,” he said. “However, we have seen a change in the donation. We have been receiving a lot more food in bulk packaging from manufacturers. Fifty-pound cases of diced potatoes or 32-pound cases of diced turkey are difficult to distribute to families with limited freezer space.”
Food Finders had received three tons of food that was donated by three different manufacturers. Boes estimated that it would make 2,000 one-gallon size bags for families.
Students unloaded the truckload of food one pallet at a time, so it wouldn’t thaw. Every box of food had to be broken up with plastic covered hammers, knives and spatulas so it could be repacked into bags.
Labels were put into each bag identifying the contents. The bags then were boxed up and put back into the refrigerated truck.
Bags were filled to varying degrees, all at least one-half full, because the food will be handed out to families with varying needs.
“This is great — we’re feeding thousands of families,” said senior Ryan Cramer. “It’s fun spending time with other seniors; it’s a good time to work with your peers.”
“When Food Finders asked if we would repackage the food, we thought it would be a wonderful way to help those who really need the food,” said Candy Reed, art teacher and senior class advisor. “I think it’s a neat project. This is above and beyond the students’ service hours.
“This is very labor-intensive,” Reed said. “The students are really good workers. We really want them to think about the thousands of people they are helping to feed while they work.”
“Everything is going really well, everyone is working hard and cooperating,” said senior class president Jessica Dunten. “It’s a really good project and we’re helping so many people. It’s good to see everyone working together.”
Senior Jade Anthrop said he thought it was fun working with his friends and helping other people at the same time.
“It’s not often you get to see a direct effect of your help,” classmate Joanne Almond said.
“It’s a good way for our class to give back to the community,” said Danny Clerget. “Not everyone is as fortunate as we are — we all have so much from our families.”