Students Donate 5,565 Food Items In One Week To Local Pantry

ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, MD — The coronavirus pandemic has changed life as we know it, impacting individuals, businesses, schools and nonprofits in unthinkable ways. High school seniors looking forward to the traditions and milestones of their last year have found themselves disappointed as activity after activity had to be canceled.

But a group of high school seniors at Rockbridge Academy found a way to lift their spirits and help others with a week-long food drive competition to feed the hungry in the greater Annapolis area. The school has been holding in-person classes since September and wanted to do something special.

The school was divided in half to form two teams and see who could donate the most food items. The weeklong initiative resulted in the donation of 5,565 food items that were counted by the seniors. Then they bagged, loaded, hauled, sorted and shelved the food items at the West Annapolis Pop-up Pantry. According to Sonmin Crane, spokesperson for the school, it took almost 20 cars to deliver all of the donations.

"The pantry had to turn folks down over the weekend because they ran of out food, so this huge influx of needed items came at just the right time. Congratulations to the Rockbridge class of 2021 for looking to the interests of others at a time like this," Crane said in a press release.