In Battle of the Classes, Fighting Hunger Reigns Supreme
Manalapan High School’s slogan is “Today’s Students, Tomorrow’s Leader.” But these leaders aren’t waiting until tomorrow. From March 11th - 15th, the school held a food drive to benefit the Food Bank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties. The food drive, dubbed “the Battle of the Classes," had one simple rule: the class that collects the most food wins. Would the underdog freshman prove themselves and gain the respect of their upper-class peers? Would the seniors rally around the cause and demonstrate that they deserve to be at the top of the food chain?
In Monmouth and Ocean Counties, over 140,000 people live on incomes that put them at risk of hunger. 40% of those at risk are children. The Food Bank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties serves an impressive 127,000 people per year. In addition, the Food Bank offers job training programs to not only help those in poverty, but to lift people out of poverty.
Two things are important to all food banks: money and food. As charitable organizations, food banks must operate as efficiently as possible to maximize return on investments. Oftentimes, food banks spend a great deal of money maintaining and operating a fleet of food collection trucks. But not for this food drive. At the conclusion of the event, SeaCure Moving, Inc., an agent of Bekins Van Lines, graciously offered to pick up the food from the high school and take it to the Food Bank, saving them precious resources on transportation costs. But what about the food? Drum roll, please…
When the dust settled, Manalapan High School donated an incredible 2,247 pounds of food! Hunger is a fierce opponent. But they don’t call students of Manalapan High School the Manalapan Braves for nothing.
