During April, education students at Mid-America Christian University conducted a food drive to help provide for children during the summer months.
The School of Teacher Education Food Drive is a community service project conducted by the MACU Student Professional Oklahoma Educators (SPOE) Chapter. Students chose Roosevelt Middle School in the Oklahoma City Public School District as the recipient of the food drive.
“Many children suffer even more during breaks in the school year since schools are the only ones providing consistent meals for them,” said Shannon Kowals, Teacher Education Office Manager at MACU. “This is a wonderful opportunity for MACU to show the community we are truly the hands and feet of Jesus.”
One in four children in Oklahoma lives with hunger, and chronic food insecurity negatively impacts the physical, emotional and cognitive development of children, according to the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma.
Kowals added that the food collected through the food drive will be given to students to take home over summer break to help relieve some of the meal inconsistencies they will face. Donation boxes were placed around campus to collect peanut butter, jelly, macaroni and cheese, pop tarts, cereal, crackers, granola bars and Ramen noodles. Remote employees who couldn’t make it to campus, were able to send in checks for the food drive.