Albright School donates groceries for the poor
Albright Middle School in Villa Park recently donated $900 to the Humanitarian Service Project (HSP). They also donated 15 boxes of non-perishables to be put towards the Feed the Kids program and the Senior Citizen Project. These two programs are HSP's projects geared toward providing nutrition to impoverished and malnourished children and seniors in DuPage and Kane County.
Albright's food drive started April 17 and was organized by the Albright Middle School Student Council. The food drive was set up as a contest and the class who donated the most would be rewarded a pizza party. Students were encouraged to bring in non-perishable foods and money to be donated to HSP. The students raised $900 and collected 15 boxes of food in under a week, when the drive ended April 23. The Albright 8th graders were estimated to have donated about 65% of the total collection. The entire 8th grade class won the prize of the pizza party. The money they raised will be used to purchase groceries to fund the HSP's two programs.
The senior citizens and children will receive these groceries through the Senior Citizen Project and the Feed the Kids program. Feed the Kids provides nutritious food to 400 impoverished children of 100 needy families in the summer time when they don't receive food from subsidized school lunches. Each family receives 15 of fresh fruits and vegetables, 3-6 boxes of non-perishables weighing 25 pounds each, 7 selections of frozen meats, 3-4 loaves of Pepperidge Farm bread, and nutritious snacks. It costs $75/month ($225 for the whole summer) to sponsor a needy family through the Feed the Kids program.
The Senior Citizen Project delivers 121 seniors monthly groceries. The seniors in the program are severely impoverished and in situations where their families cannot provide for them financially. Often times, they are immobile due to health complications. The monthly deliveries take the seniors' specific dietary needs into consideration due to certain health conditions. HSP provides the seniors with 100 lb. grocery deliveries every month, which include; 7 selections of fresh fruits and 8 vegetables, 7 varieties frozen meats, 5 bags of non-perishable foods, 2-3 loaves of Pepperidge Farm bread, 2 bags of paper products (toilet paper, paper towels, and facial tissue). Additionally, every 3 months seniors receive personal care items (Shampoo/conditioner, toothbrush, toothpaste, dental floss, lotion, hand sanitizer, soap, and lip balm). The Senior Citizen Project costs $800 a year to sponsor a senior in need. Anyone interested in volunteering should call 630-221-8340 or email the Humanitarian Service Project at hsp@humanitarianservice.org.
About The Humanitarian Service Project
HSP's mission is to alleviate the pain and suffering that poverty creates in seniors and children living in DuPage and Kane Counties, Illinois. Last year during the Christmas Offering, 1,616 children received gifts and 150 impoverished families received three weeks of groceries, frozen meats, and fresh produce. With the Senior Citizen Project, HSP provides monthly food deliveries of 100 pounds including fresh produce, frozen meats, non-perishables, paper products and secret pal gifts to 121 low-income seniors. The Children's Birthday Project reaches the youngest underprivileged, making birthdays and Christmas truly memorable occasions for 900 children. Feed the Kids program provides 100 low-income families with groceries and fresh produce. HSP conducts an annual school supplies drive, which sends supplies to the DuPage Back to School Fair in addition to furnishing schools and individual children with necessary supplies.