Maine West teens form human chain to fill food pantry

At least 550 Maine West students literally extended helping hands that stretched for a half mile Monday, forming a human chain to pass donated food from the high school to the Self-Help Closet & Pantry of Des Plaines, four blocks south.

For a couple of weeks, students have been bringing canned food donations in an effort to fill a large van parked in front of the school on Wolf Road. The effort netted well over 5,200 cans, said Maine West Assistant Principal Dave Berendt.

The Des Plaines Police Department worked with Maine West administrators to ensure the teens were safe at the cross streets.

Berendt credits the human chain concept to students Craig Radke, Ashley Winiecki and Germaine Geuder, who came up with the idea as part of a project for Maine West's DECA chapter, a national association of marketing students. Student Council officers Justine Bednarski, Kristine Checea, Doris Hernandez and Rachel Gallichio played major roles in the food drive and organization of the human chain.