BRUNSWICK, Maine — Dozens of elementary school students lined up to form a human chain Wednesday, passing along 620 pounds of food for a local food program.
Known as the annual food pass, third grade students of St. John's Catholic School took the wheel this year to arrange the event and helped to collect non-perishables to pass along to Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program (MCHPP).
A year long project, students also were able to raise food donations and grow relationships with several food programs and cupboards in the community.
"It feels good; we were with our buddies, our younger pre-k buddies, and it's really cute to pass this along and we know next year they're going to be doing it without our help," eighth grade student Evelyn Salhany said, who helped younger students during the event.
The event has been going on for over 15 years, and teachers say it gets kids excited to help out their neighbors in need.
"I took it over this year as a third grade teacher, and so they were very excited to be the ones organizing the food pass this year, and collecting the food, and packing the boxes up for Mid Coast [Hunger Prevention Program]," third grade teacher Laurie Zinni said.
Starting around 8 a.m., students lined up around the block from MCHPP on Tenney Way and helped to pass several hundred boxes, cans, and bundles of non-perishables.
"I think this is really just a poignant metaphor for the community coming together, literally," MCHPP Executive Director Hannah Chatalbash said. "This will probably last us for the whole next month and through our food pantry so a significant number of families are gunna receive food through this drive."
Right now, Chatalbash says the program serves around 5,000 families per year.