Weiser Middle School tackles hunger

In honor of Super Bowl week, students and staff at Weiser Middle School annually participate in a nationwide fundraiser known as the Souper Bowl of Caring.  
 For the 17th year Weiser Middle School participated in this national effort to fight hunger in the local community donating  a total  of 1,999  canned/boxed food items and a $100 Ridley’s gift card for Love INC. and  $806.50 for ROSE Advocates.
 The Souper Bowl of Caring is a national service project done each year during the Super Bowl weekend. The organization encourages  youth from around the country  to raise funds and gather donations for local charities to fight hunger. With the idea that while much of the country celebrates with large amounts of food for Super Bowl Sunday, others in their community go hungry.
 On the organizations website, it says, “one hundred forty million people will tune in to watch the big game, while 50 million Americans are facing hunger.”  Since the project began in the early 1990s, over $145 million in food and money donations has been collected to fight hunger in the United States.  
 While the national program has encouraged a large amount of giving across the United States, what’s truly great about the Souper Bowl of Caring is that the money and food donated here, stays here in our community.
 The homerooms collected donations in their homeroom classes the week prior to the Super Bowl. Besides collecting donations, students also participated in a daily hunger trivia challenge based on hunger facts that were posted around the school and presented to each of the students in an interactive virtual Google slideshow.
 The event was brought to Weiser Middle School by social studies teacher Deena Hall. Although, Hall has moved to Vallivue, the eighth grade teachers wanted to work together to continue to honor the legacy of giving that Hall began.  
 The original goal of the program was for each middle school student and staff member to donate $1 or a canned food item.  This year that meant the school goal was 450 donations.  
 Over the years, Weiser Middle School has continually surpassed that goal. In fact, the donations have averaged 2,587 items or dollars each year. This year, WMS was able to celebrate once again by surpassing the donation average and set a record for the amount of cash donations.
 The success of the Souper Bowl of Caring at Weiser Middle School is about a united group effort. Each kid and teacher does their part and each person is able to help make a difference.
 Over the past 16 years of participation Weiser Middle School has donated over 39,000 food items and $8,700 to local charities.
 Weiser Middle School would also like to give special recognition to the Indianhead 4-H club led by Nicol Mink. They once again volunteered their time on Saturday, Feb. 6 to sort, organize, box, and transport all of the food donations from Weiser Middle School to Love INC. Their time and efforts making sure the food is properly organized and prepared for the food pantry makes a big difference.