Knox Schools, Kiwanis Club Raise Ton of Food for Community

 
 
The Knox Community School Corporation recently made a very generous donation to the Starke County Council on Aging and Community Services Food Pantry, collecting more than 2000 pounds of food. Mike Bendicsen, assistant principal at the high school, told WKVI that the elementary, middle and high schools worked together with students and staff to collect as much food as possible to donate to the community.

Bendicsen said all the food collected was then taken to the Council on Aging and divided into boxes to be taken to the homes of families who requested assistance. This year, he said about 120 requests were made and the remaining food was donated to the food bank.

Bendicsen said this year’s total amount raised was roughly the same as last year.

“This year, we were right on par with how we did last year. Probably very close to the same amount of food was collected this year as last year. We did have a few less requests for food, so that gave us extra food that we could then bring over to the food bank,” said Bendicsen.

At least 500 pounds of food were donated to the food bank in the end, Bendicsen said. He thanked the Kiwanis Club, particularly Todd Wallsmith and Auggi Gappa, for their assistance.

“This is something that we have done with Kiwanis for well over 20 years, and we find it’s more valuable and more productive when we have a community partner. It just gives us more adults involved and makes it a stronger program,” Bendicsen said.