Greenacres Fifth Graders Volunteer at Food Bank and Enjoy Field Day

(This article was written by Greenacres fifth graders Will Reed, Elizabeth Fine, and Luke Peltz) Last month fifth grade students from Greenacres Elementary went on a tour of the Food Bank of Westchester in Elmsford. The Food Bank helps people who don't have enough money to buy food for their families. Here are some facts you probably didn't know about the food bank and about what is happening in Westchester County.

• 33% of the people the Food Bank helps are children under 18.
• 22% of the people the Food Bank helps are senior citizens.
• There are 25,000 children in grade school that get donated lunch in Westchester County.
• In Westchester County, approximately 200,000 are at risk of hunger.
• The Food Bank is the only food bank in the county that serves all of Westchesterand is located on 200 Clearbrook Road, Elmsford.

The children were broken up into two groups; some toured the Food Bank and others helped pack food. Kira Ratan took a tour and she learned that, "Some kids at schools that are within walking distance of Greenacres need these lunches." Jack Byers learned that, "all the kids that get the food are treated fairly." This was a good chance for these children to learn more.

The trip changed students' ideas about donating food. Moa Kulle said, "I realized how lucky I am and how many families depend on the food." Talia Levenson learned, "how much of a difference it makes and how much families need it."

A few children who helped pack the food for communities in need said that, "We learned plenty about the Food Bank." Brandon D'Agostino said, "The number of boxes increases very quickly." Joshua Im said, "I was astounded that the Food Bank trusted children to pack food and was concerned if they made a mistake." Sophie Cohen said that, "I (sic) surprised how much food they actually packed and how many people they need to help get the job done."

We also interviewed student, Brandon D'Agostino about his experience:

What was your favorite part about the Food Bank?

I liked the packing. It was really fun.

Did you learn any new things about the Food Bank or hunger that you could share with us?

I didn't really know how the food got anywhere, or where it was going. I didn't know that some went to soup kitchens.

What types of food did you pack?

We really only packed rice, but there were also beans.

Is there any way to improve the program?

There was really nothing. Everything was really organized and it wasn't that hard to pack.

Did this project make you want to get more involved in charity work?

The Food Bank was really fun. I might think about doing Midnight Run.

Overall, these children were happy that they went. They also thought it was a fun and interesting experience. David Gilin said "It was a good way to see where the food goes each year." Ethan Weismer thought it was interesting, and he liked seeing the process the food goes through.

As we prepare to go to Middle School, it was really great to work on a project together that is so helpful to people who really need it.

Some kids also helped sell gift cards after school. 10% percent of the gift card sales went to the Food Bank. Dining fundraisers were also held at Frankie & Fanucci and California Pizza Kitchen, and a percentage of those sales was donated to the Food Bank as well.

Field Day at Greenacres:

On Thursday, June 18th, Greenacres held a special field day for our graduating students. Here are a few pictures taken by Amy Nadasdi.