On Sunday, Jan. 16, Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy students, parents and faculty volunteered at Harvesters. The volunteers made snack packs for underprivileged kids in the Kansas City area. At least 20,000 snack packs go out each week. The HBHA volunteers made approximately 2,375 snack packs in the three hours they volunteered at Harvesters. The snack packs included containers of corn and green beans, cartons of milk, juice boxes and microwaveable Kraft macaroni and cheese, as well as pudding and Nature Valley bars.
“We had a good turn out,” said president of the board and parent Eric Kaseff. “I was very pleased with the amount of people that came to help. Everyone worked really hard and we had a lot of fun.”
“I thought it was really fun to help these kids,” said sixth-grader Alexis Davis. “I didn’t really know what to expect but I’m glad we made an impact.”
“I had been there before so I expected to be doing the same thing as in past years, which was sorting food,” said director of student services Netta Krashin. “It was a fun and a nice surprise to realize that we were making the snack packs. I liked the idea that we were making a difference in kids’ lives. I feel what we did was very beneficial.”
Thousands of people receive emergency food assistance through Harvesters’ network each week. Harvesters food pantry is a national non-profit organization that feeds the hungry. It was founded in 1979 and now has 620 agencies nationwide. Thirty-seven percent of people receiving emergency food assistance are children.