5th Annual Hearts for Hunger Canned Food Drive A Success
District goes above and beyond for Operation Food Search

St. Louis – Students and staff of the St. Louis Public Schools (SLPS) have set a new record in the 5th annual Hearts for Hunger canned food drive. The drive, which started Feb. 5, collected more than 131,000 cans of food for Operation Food Search, a local food bank. The annual event is organized by the District’ Office of Community Education.

“This program serves two wonderful purposes – providing food to those in need during a time of year when pantries need to be restocked, and teaching valuable lessons to the numerous students who assist in the collection and distribution process,” said John Windom, Executive Director of Community Education for SLPS.

The food items were donated to affiliated food pantries through Operation Food Search throughout the St. Louis Metropolitan area. Shaw Visual and Performing Arts (VPA) Elementary led all schools by collecting over 18,000 cans.

“We are proud of all of students and staff who participated in this worthy cause,” said Superintendent Diana Boursiaw. “This is our fifth, and our most successful, year participating in Operation Food Search,” she added.

Operation Food Search has become the largest distributor of free food in the bi-state area helping to feed the region's poor since its start in 1981.

Operation Food Search distributes more than one million pounds of food and household items to 300 community partner agencies that in turn feed 95,000 less fortunate people every single month. Nearly half the recipients are children.

By category, schools that collected the most cans include: