March 18, 2022 - Since March 2019, Litzsinger social worker Wendy DuCasse and teacher Emily Specker have co-chaired the Litzsinger Spring Break Food Drive. They started the drive after discovering that a student would not have all the food they needed over spring break.

“We realized that the need was beyond just one student, so we set a goal to collect for more families,” said Specker. “The impact of COVID-19 has led to more people with food insecurity, so we know this continues to be beneficial and impactful.”

Food was collected over the course of nine days, from March 7-March 16. This year, the goal was to send food home to 20 Litzsinger families over spring break and collect money and gift cards that will be used to provide emergency assistance to families throughout the year. Items needed included instant oatmeal, canned meat, soup, vegetables, crackers, and can openers. A full list is available online.

“It’s our hope that our students will come to understand that while food is a basic need, there are people who struggle to have food available to them on a regular basis,” said DuCasse. “We want them to understand that food insecurity may be as close to them as a classmate. It isn’t something abstract or something that impacts people they don’t know.”

Students lent a hand with organizing, sorting, and packing the food boxes. Specker says they like being involved because they know it directly impacts people in a positive way. She’s grateful for all the support.

“This is something that immediately benefits our Litzsinger community,” said Specker. “I have seen its impact on people who have helped organize, those who have donated, and the families who have received items. Many of my former students loved doing this every year!”

Over 700 food items were collected. For more information, please contact Wendy Ducasse at WLDucasse@ssdmo.org or Emily Specker at ECSpecker@ssdmo.org.