For years, students and staff at Centre Wellington District High School have been helping to make their community stronger and healthier by partnering to help the Centre Wellington food bank.
Recently, the food bank recognized their partnership of many years with the high school by presenting it with the crystal award. CWDHS has been collecting food and monetary donations for CWFB since 2009.
Erica Parker-Brown is a CWDHS teacher who has helped volunteer with setting up food bank fundraisers for 10 years. She started after taking over a student leadership class which has incorporated the fundraiser.
"Whatever class it's been a part of there's always been a fundraiser for the food bank for years, for years and years and years," said Parker-Brown. "Before I started, my mentor used to do it, and she ran student council in this class for like, a decade, by herself, so it's been going on for a long time."
On average, the fundraiser helps between 300 to 400 families per year by collecting an average of 1,200 to 1,400 pounds of food. Parker-Brown recalls collecting 2,000 pounds in 2014.
"It was an awesome amount of food," she said.
After receiving the award, Parker-Brown posted the announcement on social media, where former students who participated in past food bank fundraisers reached out to her in reaction to the news.
"It does mean a lot, it's just hard to communicate that, we put it on social media to notify people who did work so hard," Parker-Brown said about the school receiving the award.
For students, Parker-Brown said organizing the food bank fundraiser has taught them skills like leadership, communication, planning and design.
"It also teaches a significant amount of empathy, being a part of the community, helping out in the community, and recognizing that there is significant need," said Parker-Brown, adding 29 per cent of people supported by the local food bank are children. "It's developing a deeper sense of empathy."
When it comes to charitable projects, she said students have always chosen to focus on supporting local charities, from students with cancer to mental health organizations.
"Supporting a local charity like the food bank makes a tangible difference in where you live," said Parker-Brown.
Last year was Parker-Brown's final year in being involved with the fundraiser. Today, it has been incorporated into a different course called Politics and Action, which is being taught by a teacher named Mathew Arnold. In 2022, students collected over 200 pounds of food and accepted almost $1,400 for the food bank.
Parker-Brown said helping with the food bank fundraisers at CWDHS was 'one of the greatest commitments' of her life. Looking back, she said students not only made connections with their community and realized they can make a difference, but participating in the event also helped them learn what needs are actually there within the community.
"That builds self-confidence, that they know they can make a difference, and seeing that is so rewarding and I absolutely loved it," said Parker-Brown.
