The River Bend Food Bank Student Hunger Drive is a competition among 20 high schools in eastern Iowa and western Illinois. The goal of the competition is to raise the most monetary and food donations for the pantry. At Pleasant Valley High School, Spartan Assembly, the student council, organizes all of the events for the Student Hunger Drive- making sure to reach the elementary, middle and high school levels within the district.
The Student Hunger Drive is designed to help those in need. Making it a competition between high school students creates an incentive for kids to participate. It is important to have a high-level of participation because the donations go to the River Bend Food Bank. “The Riverbend Food Bank serves 23 counties,” said Spartan Assembly representative Anshika Gandra. “Thousands of people benefit from the food pantries and meals that come from the Hunger Drive.”
Even though Spartan Assembly is at the forefront of collecting donations, PV teachers are creating incentives for students to donate as well. Some teachers offer homework passes, a pizza party, or some other type of prize. “I think the student hunger drive is an important part of our community,” math teacher Nick Sacco said. “It is important to help build empathy in our students and provide them with opportunities to learn leadership.”
In 2024, Pleasant Valley raised around $47,000 and collected about 27,000 pounds of food. This totals up to approximately 102,000 pounds of food or 265,464 meals. “Knowing I can make even a little difference in the 1 in 8 people facing hunger is very motivating,” Gandra said. By collecting all this food and money, PV was able to make a difference in the community.
Pleasant Valley has commanded the competition, winning the last seven years in a row. Each year, the members of student council are excited for the Drive because they get a chance to serve the community and make a positive impact.
PV has been able to keep this streak going because of the hard-working Spartan Assembly members. Spartan Assembly hosts many fun activities, such as the “Pickleball Scramble,” that required a paid entry-fee or food donation which then went directly to the Student Hunger Drive. “This year that fundraiser brought in approximately $10,000,” Spartan Assembly advisor Kristy Carr shared.
With a month left of the competition, Spartan Assembly hopes to continue to make a positive impact on the community and support the food pantry.
