(Courtesy/Ms. Bening)

Each winter, Service Board hosts its annual Kids 4 Kids a school-wide event to  support 30 families in partnership with The Childhood League and Royal Manor Elementary.

Lower school students collect donations, help wrap gifts, shop for extra food items and create snack boxes.  Middle schoolers gather the food donation bins and create meal boxes from the “shop,” a set-up grocery aisle that gets constructed  in the Barton Room during the “Night-In.” Upper School students bring in food with their advisories, some collect cans from in Mr. Morford’s neighborhood, and some deliver all the donations.

As a first-year shaper, my  involvement began with “Begging for Cans.” We went door-to-door, collecting non-perishable goods. The next event was setting up the Athletic Lobby  for sorting clothes and toys as well as boxing up the food from Begging for Cans. 

Along with most other upper schoolers, my advisees and I brought in food for the Advisory Bingo. (My advisory won as we had brought all our food items and more.) I also  worked on the “Night-In,” which involves students and other members of the community to sort more food and listen to special speakers involved with food programs in central Ohio. Susan Swinford and Emily Rials’07, who founded Columbus Food Rescue, spoke to us about how their venture fights food inequity by rescuing excess food and re-distributing it to shelters, agencies, and other community groups.

The final aspect of Kids 4 Kids is the delivery which shows how this program delivers donations to the intended families.

The kindness of our neighbors as they eagerly donated goods, the dedication of our teachers, staff, and  the “Night-In” – which inspired younger students to be more involved in service – showcased the ability of our community to work together for those we serve.