Anoka-Hennepin teachers collect donations for students in need before Thanksgiving break

Filling food needs for students during Thanksgiving

Teachers in the Anoka-Hennepin School District are addressing food insecurity during Thanksgiving break by organizing donations for students.

As Thanksgiving break means some students will miss out on free school meals, teachers have stepped in due to changes in SNAP benefits and rising food costs. They collected hundreds of pounds of donations, including canned goods and toiletries, which were delivered to the ACBC Food Shelf on Monday.

“We hear the everyday struggles families are facing in the district, so anything we can do to help so they can do their best job of learning is what we are trying to do,” John Wolhaupter, president of Anoka-Hennepin Education Minnesota, said.

“In 2019, we had about 8,700 food shelf visits; this year, it will be closer to 30,000,” said Stephanie Lehman, the executive director of ACBC Food Shelf.

Demand has increased 30% in the past year and over 200% in the last five years.

Lehman added that visiting a food shelf can make a difference between affording prescriptions or gas for work. Donations typically flow during the holidays but slow down in January, even though the need remains.
The post Anoka-Hennepin teachers collect donations for students in need before Thanksgiving break first appeared on KSTP.com 5 Eyewitness News.