Volunteer Owensboro is asking local schools to participate in the “Battle of the Cans” food drive from now through the end of February. The donations will go to 3 local food pantries that combined serve more than 6,000 people in need each month — and there will be prizes for the school that donates the most cans.
Volunteer Owensboro Director Randy Lanham has a goal of collecting 10,000 cans of food, all of which will be distributed to The Help Office, Crossroads, and Shepherd’s Hand.
Lanham is challenging schools to be a part of the effort, saying each participating school can handle their effort however they want — such as hosting a single-day donation or holding an extending drive..
“Wintertime and cold weather are a hard time for folks with food insecurities, so now is the perfect time to have a food drive,” said Volunteer Owensboro Director Randy Lanham. “The schools can use this as a great teaching tool. By being a part of this food drive, the kids can learn to be charitable, about food insecurities, compassion for those in need, helping them release the need right here in our community, and that when everyone works together, big things can get accomplished. Everyone is a winner when we are all focused on helping others.”
Each school that signs up will be assigned to a food pantry that will coordinate the pickup of the food after their drive is over. At that time they will count the cans, with updates being posted on Volunteer Owensboro’s Facebook Page.
The winner will be announced during the first week of March. The winner will receive a music assembly by Randy Lanham, donuts for the staff provided by Rolling Pin, a custom-made trophy by Andy Shoemaker of Medieval Man Studios, and bragging rights on Cromwell media radio stations.
School officials interested in signing up or with questions can email Lanham at [email protected].
