Countryside Elementary Kids Stock Cuba Township Food Pantry

The Kids Feeding Kids Club, a local Barrington charity, partnered with ’s Student Council to sponsor a two-day Food Drive-Thru to raise food for and a couple families in Barrington School District on Tuesday, May 8 and Wednesday, May 9. 

“The Kids Feeding Kids Club had a new idea for a fun, easy and creative way to do a food drive,” said 8-year-old founder and Countryside 2nd grader, Carson Pazdan.

The Kids Feeding Kids Club approached Countryside’s Student Council Advisor, teacher Barb Floyd and principal Kimberly Thomas, to partner on the event.

The concept was to offer a Food Drive-Thru where families could have food donations on their passenger seat and when they dropped off their kids or picked them up from school, a parent volunteer would remove the items while the kids organized the food in baskets at a safe distance.  While approaching, the drivers read signs with messages and child hunger statistics made by the Student Council.

“As I was reading the signs in the drop-off line, I became so emotional,” said parent Suzy Mogler.

“Everyone had a blast! Not only did we get donated food, but it also turned into a friendly valet service opening doors for kids and greeting the parents, “ said parent volunteer Amy Winkleman.

The Food Drive-Thrus and food brought in by backpack raised enough donations to fill seven SUV’s and minivans.  Parent volunteers then caravanned over to the Cuba Township Food Pantry to deliver the food.

“The Pantry should now be in good shape until August. The summer months are always the most difficult and we are so grateful for the kid’s efforts,” said Cuba Township Pantry coordinator Kate Formichella.

The Food Drive was kicked off Monday with an assembly to the Countryside student body. Kids Feeding Kids Club members Carson Pazdan and Kate Winkleman spoke to the students to raise awareness about hunger as well as guest speaker, Peyton Medick from Peyton’s Promise who also conducted a fitness workout.

“This week’s efforts were a huge success. The kids involved were able to build awareness, compassion and hopefully a foundation for philanthropy, which is The Club’s mission," Alyssa Pazdan said. "The highlight of the week has to be Tanner Skowronski who is a 2nd grader. When his mother dropped him off, they had at least a half dozen grocery bags to donate and his mother, Carol Skorownski, informed us that Tanner had the idea to use his own birthday money to buy the food. It was so touching to see how compassionate and selfless this little boy is," she said. 

The Kids Feeding Kids Club is hoping to make this an annual event partnering with Countryside Elementary School and the Student Council. The Kids Feeding Kids Club will be partnering next with Smart Farm of Barrington to offer free gardening lessons to kids June 7 and 8. The Club will provide tomato plants to the members attending in hopes that they will donate the harvested vegetables to the Pantry this summer. The Club is also planning a red carpet movie fundraiser for the entire family at iPic Theatres in the Arboretum of South Barrington November 3, 2012. You can visit www.kidsfeedingkids.info for more information.