According to The Food Bank for Central and Northeast Missouri's website, "The vast majority [of the working poor] don't receive food stamps or government cash assistance, and earn less than $950 per month." Understanding the need this creates, California High School's FFA Organization decided to find a way to help.
"Our goal this year is to fill an entire livestock trailer with [canned] goods," Bailey Glenn, leader of the FFA Citizenship Committee explains. FFA is in charge of bringing in the stock trailer and storing it in the Ag shop overnight.
Glenn wants to get the whole school involved in "giving back to the community for all they do for us" by hosting a traveling trophy competition.
The trophy goes to the club that brings in the most cans, each can being worth one point. Each club is in charge of determining its own way of collecting and promoting the competition. The winning club will get to keep the trophy until it goes "up for grabs" the following year when FFA plans on facing the challenge once again.
"Drama Club members can bring in as many cans as they want and are making posters and signs for advertisement," Assistant Public Relations Officer Sarah Couchman said.
Spanish Club members have a more direct way for can collecting.
Patricia Garcia,treasurer, explained, "We have to turn in two cans each, and those who don't do not get to participate in future activities."
FBLA members planned a stampede on Thursday, Nov. 11, and collected over 360 items in the community.
"We had fun, and the community was very supportive of our efforts," said FBLA sponsor Mary Thomas.
Along with clubs, some classes have even gotten involved. For example, Lee Longan's second hour class is competing against Adam Bieri's second hour.
"We discussed the food drive at our last meeting. I was pleasantly surprised by the fact that food was already coming in the next morning," said Peggy Huhmann, Math Team sponsor.