It’s time for the annual Menlo-Atherton High School Canned Food Drive. In a tradition started by legendary Coach Ben Parks, M-A students collect food from the community to help feed several hundred families in our area, many of them M-A families. According to the Second Harvest Food Bank website, one in four people in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties are at risk for hunger. Many are children, and some are our neighbors, classmates, or acquaintances.
From October 31st through December 8th, M-A students collect cans at the following locations: Bianchini’s (Ladera), Delucchi’s Market (Redwood City), Draeger’s (Menlo Park), Cardenas (East Palo Alto), Roberts Market (Portola Valley), Safeway (El Camino and Sharon Heights); Trader Joe’s (Menlo Park), Willows Market (Menlo Park), and Whole Foods (Palo Alto).
This year M-A is again partnering with Second Harvest Food Bank (SHFB) to ensure that families continue to have access to food sources beyond the Canned Food Drive. Click here to watch our video from last years Distribution Day!
Here are ways that you can help:
Distribution to families will take place at Ecumenical Hunger Program(2411 Pulgas Ave.) in East Palo Alto on Saturday, December 8. For the third year, Facebook has generously donated reusable grocery bags that will be used to package the food for recipient families.
M-A is a regular recipient of Second Harvest’s coveted Blue Diamond Award, which totals food collections as well as monetary donations, and its Community Champion Award, going to non-corporate groups with the highest number of participants. Last year, this wonderful community event donated over 200,000 pounds of food to local families.