EF elementary school students collect food for the community

“Warrior Bucks,” which they received as a reward for good behavior, were put toward helping people in need.

Several Elizabeth Forward students from Greenock and Mount Vernon Elementary schools participated in a food drive last week to help their neighbors in need.

Dr. Laura Burns, principal at both elementary schools, spearheaded the effort from the ideas of elementary students. She took over the role after another principal was in charge years ago.

It was a district-wide effort for years, and Burns decided to move the drive, which formerly took place between Thanksgiving and Christmas, to the beginning of November so people could have food ahead of the holidays.

At Mount Vernon, students get rewarded for good behavior by getting “Warrior Bucks,” and they wanted to use those bucks to give back to the community. All classrooms participated in the food drive this year.

“All of our buildings at Elizabeth Forward are positive behavior support schools, so students are rewarded for doing good,” Burns said. “This is the second year in a row that students have wanted to use their ‘Warrior Bucks’ to turn them into food for the food bank. As students were awarded for their behavior, they were able to choose from those dollars to put toward the food bank.”

According to Burns, Mount Vernon collected more than 400 “Warrior Bucks” that they turned into donations. It’s a voluntary decision by the students, who could turn them into prizes, but instead chose to donate to a bigger cause.

“I think that’s a really great thing at Mount Vernon. It is a student-led thing, and they want to do it every year,” Burns said. “For kids who maybe do use the food bank themselves, they are still able to contribute to their classroom totals because we do make it a competition of who raises the most. It then allowed every kid to participate, and then they got rewarded for it.”

There were student ambassadors at the elementary level who asked if they could use the bucks toward charity, according to Burns, and donating to local pantries was an easy way to do that.

Burns said the school went into action to find a way to get the food to these pantries and use the “Warrior Bucks” for a good cause.

There were schools across the district that were collecting food along with the elementary students, and the food drive benefited food pantries at Elizabeth Baptist Church and Round Hill Presbyterian Church.

The Elizabeth Borough Clergy Food Pantry is part of the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank and is located in the fellowship hall of Elizabeth Baptist Church. The monthly distribution for their clients takes place from 9 to 11 a.m. on the second Wednesday of every month.

The drive started Nov. 3 and lasted through Nov. 14. On Nov. 18, students collected the items and dropped them off at the pantries.

In total, 3,335 items and around $800 were collected at the schools. The middle school, according to a Facebook post, collected 1,908 canned goods and $465. They accepted all types of food, but specifically asked for nonperishables.

The collections were split evenly between the two churches, according to Burns, with ambassadors from the schools handling the collections.

“We take the kids to do that, and it’s really good for them to see,” Burns said. “They are literally carrying the boxes of food in and out of the different schools, and into the different food banks. They were physically helping, but they also got to talk to the women who run those food banks.”

Burns said the students worked hard, love donating and it makes them feel good to help the community.

“I think it’s really good for them because they see the impact directly,” Burns said. “There were a couple students last year, and we continued it on, and it’s been a really great addition. It gets them involved in the food drive, and it also teaches them a really important lesson about generosity, community and it’s been really great.”

Elizabeth Borough Clergy Food Pantry is located at 735 Bunola River Road. Donations of any kind can be dropped off at the church. Call 412-384-6464 to arrange drop off, to reach out to get food or to volunteer. Drop off times are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays.

Round Hill’s pantry is requesting items for Thanksgiving dinner and baking supplies for December. They ask those donating to place these either in the basket in the vestibule or drop them off in front of the food pantry door in the CE building. The pantry is located at 2150 Round Hill Church Road, and more information can be found at (412) 384-5889 or roundhillpc@gmail.com.