Cincinnati, Ohio, Tuesday, November 11, 2014 – This year, the annual Canned Food Drive at St. Ursula Academy kicked off on October 20 with Megan Linz Jones ’03, winner of Season 5 of the Amazing Race on CBS. For the next two weeks, students collected nonperishable food items, many even “trick or treating” for canned goods. In all, this “Amazing Race Against Hunger” netted 800 boxes of food and donations totaling over $2,300. The food was organized and then delivered to St. Vincent DePaul Society, Mercy Neighborhood Ministries, Little Sisters of the Poor, Open Door Ministries in Walnut Hills, and Madisonville Education and Assistance Center (MEAC).
As part of the St. Ursula Academy mission, students are challenged to “build a better world.” The annual Canned Food Drive is one way to encourage students to live this mission in a very concrete way by helping local organizations which help feed the hungry in our community. Students were separated into teams during this “Amazing Race” and each team competed to bring in the largest number of food items.
Community Service Learning Director Rachel Kemper ’90 couldn’t be more proud of the students. "This year at St. Ursula our theme is Prophet: Inspiring others to make a difference. Our Canned Food Drive truly is an example of how our students are stepping up to lead and inspire each other to make a difference. We enjoy the competition and the rivalries as teams compete to bring in the most boxes of food. However, ultimately, those experiencing food insecurity and hunger are the true winners of this ‘race’!"
This is truly a race with many winners. The students who organized this food drive work hard to teach, and to learn, about the difference a small group of people can make in the community.
“I hope that the SUA Canned Food Drive teaches the students, teachers, and faculty that giving back to one's community doesn't stop once the Canned Food Drive does. There is an immediate need for us to support our neighborhood, whether it be through donations or volunteering at local agencies. The Canned Food Drive is just one small way to help our community. Each canned good and every donation will positively affect one of our neighbors, providing them with food or various necessary items that they will need for the upcoming holiday season. Regardless of the Amazing Race Against Hunger theme and the competition between advisories, the SUA community has helped a neighbor and that is what it is truly about,” said senior Maggie Curoe ’15 of Anderson Township.
This year’s numbers were quite an increase over last year’s numbers which is astounding to senior Sophia Settle ’15 of Hyde Park who just completed her second year as co-chair of the event.
"I love the canned food drive at SUA! It really brings our school community together and gets such great participation from all the students. Of course, our goal is to help those in need. We increased our box donations by 37.5% over last year and money donations by over 50%, which is really gratifying. Being able to help so many people in Saint Ursula Academy’s own neighborhood while bringing our school community together in such a meaningful way is a huge reward! It means a lot knowing that there are fewer people who will go hungry this holiday season."
The Annual Canned Food Drive, another way that St. Ursula Academy students are “building a better world.”
To see additional photos from the Canned Food Drive, please click HERE.
Photo Caption: Student Leaders of the Annual Canned Food Drive welcomed Megan Linz Jones, winner of the 2005 Amazing Race. Responsible for organizing this “Amazing Race Against Hunger” were (left to right), Clare Perrazzo ’15 of Anderson Township, Caroline Murray ’16 of Anderson Township, Julie Platz ’16 of Montgomery, Megan Linz Jones ’03 of Loveland, Maggie Curoe ’15 of Anderson Township, Sophia Settle ’15 of Hyde Park, and Elena Kyrkos ’15 of Norwood.