As the annual Hunger Drive kicks off, there is an extensive amount of work to get done. The executive members play a significant role, as they dedicate their time to ensure the hunger drive runs smoothly.
The Student Hunger Drive is an annual event run by the Riverbend Food Bank. It is a friendly competition amongst high schools in the area, and the goal is to raise as much food and funds in six weeks as possible. The school that fundraises the most food and funds gets rewards according to their division, which is based on student population.
The executive members who are in charge of the hunger drive at PVHS are Katelyn Chen, Grant Jacques, Alaina Carslake, Olivia Beam, Andie Vandershaff and Ishika Desai. They work diligently for many hours to organize the various events and aspects of the Student Hunger Drive.
Organizing the hunger drive demands significant time, which is devoted by the executive members. The student council meets every Monday and Thursday morning to facilitate staffing for hunger drive events like the grocery shifts. The members have to sign-up for at least one shift each week, which can range from an hour or longer.
A few student council members collect donations at Fareway and Hyvee every day of the week besides Sunday for the next month. Besides grocery shifts, the executives also plan bigger events like reverse powderpuff and trick or treat for cans.
Even though the hunger drive takes up a lot of time, the executive members have taken it on and made a noble contribution setting aside their other priorities to ensure the hunger drive goes smoothly. “I would say that the Student Hunger Drive is definitely the most stressful part of the year. There’s something to do every day and that doesn’t stop for homework, college apps or other clubs,” said Jaques. “But for me, personally, the Student Hunger Drive is the most important thing I’ve ever helped with, so the trade-off is definitely worth it.” The impact the hunger drive has in the Quad City community is a great motivation for Spartan Assembly members to keep working hard.
Spartan Assembly members take the nonperishable food items donated throughout the week from each teacher’s room and then weigh the food, pallet the collections, record the weights and return the boxes. This consumes time after school on Fridays, but the Spartan Assembly council is dedicated to contributing to a good cause and donating to the Riverbend Food Bank.
The hunger drive is more than just a friendly competition. It makes a significant impact on the community since 1 in 7 households are considered food insecure, and 14 million kids go hungry each year. “The food bank has great partnerships, so they’re able to turn monetary donations into tons of meals as well ($1=3 meals),” Jaques stated.
At the end of the day, the hard work Spartan Assembly members have put in has paid off. “It can be stressful, but I think it is more fun than stressful. All of it is worth it to see the impact it has on the community and how much it brings others together,” expressed Beam.
It’s very important for the executives to have strong leadership skills in order for the Student Hunger Drive to function effortlessly. Having strong communication skills also helps planning, organizing and motivating the students. Last year, in 2023, PV won first place for Student Hunger Drive donations in division A.
