Food fight for the Foodbank

She may not be running for office, but Bianca Hizon knows it’s time for a change. A Granby High freshman, Bianca is one of thousands of high school students across Hampton Roads who are part a four-week food drive that could be the largest in Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia’s history.

“The economy is so bad that people can’t feed their families,” she said. “I’m here because I want to see a change.”

Recently, Bianca joined 54 other students at a kickoff rally in the Foodbank’s Tidewater Drive warehouse for a pizza and soda party.

There, they also sized up the competition. This year’s food drive pits 30 or more schools against each other to see which can collect the most food.

The overall goal is 50,000 pounds of food, or as Daniel Midgett, a junior at Atlantic Shores Christian School put it, “ our goal is to beat all the other schools.” “This is huge,” said Marianne Smith, the Foodbank’s chief development officer. Holding up a 1-pound can of corn, Smith said that if every student in each participating high school donated just two cans of food, the goal easily would be within reach.

Schools are collecting nonperishable food s through Monday. Then they will start delivering hundreds of pounds of food to the Foodbank . The drive is sponsored by local businesses and a $10,000 grant from Tyson Foods Inc., which also donated 29,765 pounds of chicken products at the beginning of the campaign. In addition to Hampton Roads, the company’s grant is making massive student food drives possible in 10 other locations around the country.

The contest will be scored on a pound per capita basis with the winning school receiving $750; second place, $500, and third place, $250.

Food products then will be distributed by the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and its Eastern Shore branch.

The student food drive not only collects much-needed food, it also builds teen leadership skills.

According to Smith, the students not only plan, organize and conduct their school’s campaigns, but they also must figure out how to get the food to the Foodbank warehouse. And if the students receive a monetary donation, they must comparison shop with the donation and then give the purchased food to the Foodbank.

“It’s the education and leadership components that set this apart from other food drives,” Smith said.

At the kickoff, a talent show fueled the competitive spirits. Teams from Norfolk, Virginia Beach and Chesapeake hammed it up in original skits developed by the students. Midgett and three classmates from Atlantic Shores pulled their ball caps on backwards and delivered a rap a la “The Fresh Prince,” and urged, “Let’s get excited and let’s get involved.”

Kellam High’s dance/chant routines took top prize – a credit of 2,000 pounds of food to start its campaign.

“Last year our drama club collected 14,000 pounds of food for the Foodbank, and we’re aiming for more this year,” Caroline Ballowe, a Kellam senior, said. Ideas flowed as the students talked about their plans.

Bianca explained her scheme to help boost the Granby High collection. “I’m giving away candy for food – cans for candy,” she said.

And Granby freshman April Shaw donated $40 of her babysitting earnings to buy food for the school’s collection.

For more information, call the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia at 627-6599 or visit www.foodbankonline.org.

Phyllis Speidell, 222-5556, phyllis.speidell@pilotonline.com