School food drives help feed the hungry

The FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties has challenged all elementary, intermediate and high schools -- public and private -- in Monmouth and Ocean counties to think of those less fortunate this holiday season by running a special food drive.

The 2007 Schools Holiday Hunger Challenge will be ongoing at each participating school from Oct. 15 to Nov. 12.

The goal of this Holiday Hunger Challenge is to provide complete family meals to those in need this holiday season.

Each grade has been assigned a specific food item that will be collected and delivered to the FoodBank, where it will be logged in and weighed. Items range from canned fruits and vegetables to boxed instant mashed potatoes.

Cash prizes totaling $5,000 will be awarded to schools in each county that collect the most pounds of food per student.

The 2007 Schools Holiday Hunger Challenge Champion Award trophy will be awarded to the one school district that collects the most pounds of food per student. Registration forms, labels and classroom motivational items can be found and downloaded at www.foodbankmoc.org.

Statistics show 40 percent of those who suffer the effects of hunger in Monmouth and Ocean counties are children. The FoodBank secures and distributes 3.4 million pounds of donated food to a network of over 250 hunger relief agencies in Monmouth and Ocean counties. These organizations include emergency food pantries, soup kitchens, day-care centers and shelters as well as other hunger relief agencies.

For further information about how schools can participate, call Kate at (732) 918-2600 or visit ww.foodbankmoc.org.