U-46 schools raise nearly $32,000 to fight hunger

Elgin Area School District U-46 schools joined a communitywide effort raising nearly $32,000 this year toward fighting hunger within local communities.

Food for Greater Elgin's six-month Change for Hunger Challenge set a goal for schools to raise at least $500 in spare change, which many schools met or exceeded.

Corporate partners match the $500 raised by each school, and some partners match dollar-for-dollar, if their schools collect beyond the $500 goal.

Fox Meadow Elementary School in South Elgin raised more than $2,700 - the highest among 19 participating U-46 schools.

School leaders tied the challenge to lessons on caring for others as part of being a Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) school.

Fox Meadow sponsored specific events for three weeks. In the first week, students who donated a dollar or more were able to wear a hat during a school day. The second week students brought in specific denominations of coins each day. The third week students who donated a dollar or more participated in a pajama pants day. School employees also pledged $5 per run for some games of the World Series.

"Every morning we pledge to care for ourselves, care for others, care for our school, and care for our community," Fox Meadow fourth-grade teacher Pam Medcalf said. "The Change for Hunger Challenge allowed us to put those words into action."

Kenyon Woods Middle School, also in South Elgin, came in second raising more than $2,200.

Principal Lisa Olsem said officials promoted the campaign through weekly newsletters. The school's prior history of support and word-of-mouth also helped generate donations, she added.

"Although this is only my first year at Kenyon Woods, I have found the students and staff here have a long-standing reputation for giving back to the community," Olsem said. "From raising money for hunger or childhood cancer to collecting coats for those without, Kenyon Woods goes all in. Our staff is passionate about these causes and they challenge our students to get involved. It is amazing to be a part of such a caring community."

Money raised this year is enough to provide 1,550 families with a full grocery cart of nutritious food, officials said.

"This year has been another amazing campaign in the fight against hunger," said Michelle Frampton, Food for Greater Elgin executive director. "Every penny counts and the amount each school has raised will change lives."

The pantry serves on average 1,200 households monthly, or nearly 6,000 people of whom half are children.