Food Drive at Park Elementary

     On Saturday May 7, 2011, I had the good fortune to be able to participate in a food drive at Park Elementary, a school that feeds into my high school.  80% of the student population at this school lives in poverty, and around 60% receive free lunch.  The families in this community are in desperate need of any assistance that can be provided, and many are struggling to make ends meet.  The North Arundel Rotary Club partnered with Priority Partners to provide a free food drive to the members of this community.  The North County Key Club was asked to help, and we are all very glad we did.
     7 North County Key Club members, including myself, showed up bright and early at 9:00 am to begin working at the food drive.  We helped load the bags of food, carry bags of food to the people's cars, and greeted them as they came in the door of the school.  Over the 4 hour period, around 67 people signed up with Priority Partners for health insurance, and over 150 people were feed by the food that was donated.
      Most of the families were incredibly grateful for the food that they received.  I saw a mother of 10 children came in for food.  As I carried the food to her car, I couldn't imagine the prospect of raising 10 children by myself on a limited income.  This woman has a lot of character and a strong spirit.  I hope she does well.
    Not everyone was grateful for the assistance they received however.  One lady came in and took a look at the soup selection that we offered her and she said, "I don't want any of these.  They are disgusting."  I can not believe the nerve of some people.  If I was in her position, I would take anything I was offered, whether I liked it or not.  What possesses some of these people to be so ungrateful is beyond me.  Most however were very appreciative of the food drive.  I could tell by the looks on their faces that their spirits had been lifted by our actions.
     I was surprisingly affected by the food drive.  I don't live in a rich ritzy neighborhood, but my family is not hurting for money.  It was hard for me to believe that there were people who lived within 10 minutes of me who were, to be blunt, dirt poor.  I couldn't imagine living in the conditions these kids live in and finding the strength and integrity to attend school each day.  Some of the people that live in that community go to my high school.  I will be sure to think twice before I ever judge some of these people again.
     It was a very personal experience for me.  I am going to make every effort to host a food drive at North County at some point in the future.  Not only will it benefit the recipients of the food, but it will hopefully have as big an impact on the volunteers as it did on me.
      A Saturday filled with volunteering and community impact, I can't imagine a  better day!