West Mercer Elementary overwhelmed the staff at MI Youth and Family Services at the end of March with their larger than expected food drive for the food bank here on the Island.

The van was originally scheduled to make one trip to pick up the food. Instead, it was determined that the van needed to make three trips upon hearing the rumors of the incredible outpouring of food now lining the hallways of West Mercer. Even at that, all the food was unable to be loaded, requiring another pick-up to be scheduled for last week. The 5,000-plus item donation is believed to be one of the largest ever from an elementary school in the food bank’s history.

The drive was designed to go deep into the classrooms, as teachers lead discussions on the reasons why people may find themselves in need of help. Students then set classroom goals to strive toward together.