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Food bank leans on students to help with annual spring food drive â€" he Food Bank of I Waterloo Region is going back to school to get its message out durâ€" ing the annual spring food drive. which starts today. With the help of Waterloo region‘s public and separate school boards, more than 60,000 local elementary stuâ€" dents will be asked to take home the food drive bags in addition to their homework this week. The hope is the program will lead to an increase in nonâ€"perishable food items, as the food bank looks to fill its shelves before donations drop off during the slow summer months. Wendi Campbell, the actâ€" ing executive director of the food bank, said past statisâ€" tics show food drives received increased support when the bags were distribâ€" uted directly to individuals. So when food bank offiâ€" cials got down to planning this year‘s drive, they thought the best way to get the bags into the communiâ€" ty was to do it through local school children. "Of the 23,500 people served last year, 45 per cent of the help went to children." "Kids have always been such great supporters of our food drives," said Campbell. "They‘re really motivated and really enthusiastic about collecting food for food drives. "We thought this was a good opportunity to get the bags right into the hand~ of our greatest supporters." And with more than 40 per cent of the emergency food help the tond bank provides going back to telâ€" low classmates. it‘s also a case of kids helping kids. ‘Our newslerrer gjust went out, and on there we indicated that we helped 10.500 children last voar." said Campbell. about the growing number of working poor famuilies supported by the service. "Of the 23,500 people served last vear. 45 per cent of the help went to children." â€"Wendi Campbell acting executive director, Food Bank of Waterloo Region And by having elemen tary students take home the food drive bags. Campbell is hoping more families get involved in helping other families. The staples they need are the same as they are every year with cereals, rice, peanut butter. pasta and sauces, and canned fruits and vegetables heing at the top of the list. _"We‘re hoping to get the families involved in helping with the drive," she said. Bi Bos Vrsana Chro ucle Seff "We‘re excited about being able to partner with the school, and we‘ve been working on this since the fall." Both local school boards have offered their full supâ€" port, and see it as a great way to promote volunâ€" teerism and helping out in the community. "It shows the students the importance of working together, and provides a terâ€" rific opportunity to learns about and help the less forâ€" tunate in our community," said Chris Spitzig. assistant to the director of the Waterâ€" loo Catholic District school board. The food bank‘s Fred Lehmann hands over a box of spring food drive bags to St. David Catholic Secondary School stuâ€" dents Josh Kirk and Tanya Donovan on Monday. * 2004 Mercedes Beng Canaga Inc. Tornto: Ontarin: Limited time affer 7 &A 10 "30 mnnth cinsed end §8 SAN on ‘ease aith an A L Roof 4 5%. 2004 C230 Spn:t Coupe Sedan with an MSRP of §15.280, down p totai abligahor n1 $11 4* mnt including a cefundahie security deposit. freight PM faves. regostratior and hieance lees £xcess kolometre «harge of $0.20 See es 38000 kee yeas Ophion ts huy af $20 488 tases inot available in Manitohai: Optines are extra. Dealer may ease fnc iess See deater for complete details *~2 9% APR gurchate !inancing available MA 5 he 34 monchs on 2004 © Class coupes 5 nan 7.9% per ann im equals $725 91 per month for 18 manths. (ast at horrmwing i8 $3.179 48 fac a tnfal nhiigation =1 $28 137 48. 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