Children make a big impact on Warren Township Food Pantry

Nonprofit group The MOMS Club of Gurnee collected nonperishable food and paper items for Warren Township Food Pantry from homes in the Providence Village subdivision recently.

Several members and their children, ages 7 and younger, participated in this rewarding event. None of the children came close to guessing how many pounds they would gather from donors by the end of this 1½-hourlong collection. The closest estimate of 59 pounds was provided Benjamin Coursin, 7.

Many of the participants gasped in surprise after MOMS Collection Event Coordinator Beth Sallman Zender announced the total collected items weighed more than 500 pounds.

Participants divided into teams and raced through the neighborhood to collect the most in-demand items for the pantry such as pasta and cereal. Two teams won for the most collected items and highest points: Benjamin (age 7) and Patrick Coursin (age 5); and Reese (age 6), Delaney (age 3); and Ian Warwick (age 3).

MOMS Club member Amy Sabor found the idea for a local food pantry collection on Pinterest last year.

"The club got together and we made this happen. It's very important to be involved in this type of service project," she said.

Beth Sallmann Zender said, "We are trying to teach our kids that although they are little, they can have a big impact in their community, and look, we collected over 500 pounds of items needed in just over one hour."

MOMS Club member Annie Barry added, "We hope to make this an annual event."

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