South Vienna students collect food to stock local pantry

This is the second year the school has held a food drive for the food pantry at their local church, Nation Chapel United Methodist Church.

The church’s food pantry runs primarily on donations from local communities, said Ryan Hajnik, a student at South Vienna, and one of the food drive leaders.

South Vienna’s elementary school started the drive after students who had helped at the food pantry for nearly six years noticed the church was running low. “It makes us feel pretty good, knowing that families somewhere else could be enjoying dinner because of the food we have raised here,” Ryan said.

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This year, the students have encouragedeach other and marked their progress by making a wall with Jets decals. Each decal goes up with a student’s name when they bring in a donation while every subsequent donation earns a star. “Our whole school has chipped in and brought in at least one can,” sad Ryan, “There have been a lot of people donating.”

Last year, the church posted to Facebook, showing over 20 tables full of donated food and goods. As the Jets on South Vienna’s wall fill with stars, the tables at the Joy of Sharing food pantry are being refilled.