This fall, the halls of Margaret Mead Elementary were buzzing with purpose, generosity, and a little friendly competition as the school launched “The Great Food Drive Challenge” in support of Lake Washington Schools Foundation’s Pantry Packs program. A simple idea within the PTSA’s FACE (Family and Community Engagement) Committee quickly grew into a powerful school-wide effort that united families, energized students, and brought in an incredible 6,498 food items for LWSD students facing food insecurity.
Margaret Mead Elementary’s efforts was part of a broader outpouring of support this fall from local schools, scout troops, neighborhoods, families, and businesses, all stepping up through food drives, donations, and volunteering to help ensure students continue receiving reliable access to food on weekends.
A Response Rooted in Compassion and Community Need
For local parents and FACE Committee members Megan Haley, Megan Hendrickson, and Janice Munich Morales, choosing Pantry Packs was an intentional and heartfelt decision. The team had been aware of growing food insecurity across LWSD, especially during the recent government shutdown, when concerns about potential reductions to SNAP benefits added an extra layer of urgency.
“We realized that by partnering with Pantry Packs, we weren’t supporting a distant cause—we were supporting our neighbors, classmates, and friends,” Megan Haley shared. This clarity helped transform the initiative from a routine service project into a deeply meaningful community effort.
To make the biggest impact possible, the team selected six food items from Pantry Packs’ recommended list, prioritizing protein-rich and shelf-stable foods that could serve as full meal substitutes. Each grade level was assigned one item to collect, setting the stage for a school-wide challenge.
Students Lead the Way
A defining feature of Mead’s success was the school and PTSA’s partnership with its leadership-class students, who played a pivotal role in planning and promoting the drive. These student leaders decorated donation boxes, created posters, and placed them throughout the building to drive excitement. Each morning, they eagerly visited classrooms to collect donations and tally the count for their grade level—a responsibility they took to heart.
“Involving these students moved the drive beyond an ‘adult-run’ event,” said Megan Hendrickson. “Their ownership made the collection more visible, more engaging, and more fun for the whole school.”
By leading the daily counts and updating the standings, these students sparked enthusiasm in their peers and fueled the friendly competition that carried the drive forward.
A Week of Steady Generosity and Spirited Energy
From the moment the challenge kicked off, Mead students and families jumped in wholeheartedly. Collection boxes filled more quickly than anyone expected. Students embraced the competition with gusto, eagerly checking updates each morning to see if their grade had taken the lead.
Students encouraged one another, families contributed repeatedly, and volunteers watched the shared excitement ripple through the school.
“It was clear this effort would support many people and leave a lasting impression on our school community,” Janice Munich Morales reflected.
Behind the scenes, the FACE committee found themselves collecting and transporting donations daily, requiring multiple wagon loads each afternoon because of the volume of contributions. What they expected to be an every-few-days responsibility evolved into a daily rhythm of coordination, teamwork, and joyful surprise.
Rather than tapering off, donations remained steady throughout the week, culminating in an especially strong final day that left the committee overwhelmed by the community’s generosity.
Celebrating an Incredible Outcome
By the end of the week, the school had collected:
- 431 meat/jerky sticks
- 257 cans of chili, ravioli, or spaghetti
- 283 pouches of tuna or chicken
- 1,362 individual packages of nuts or trail mix
- 181 Hormel Compleat meals
- 3,984 granola bars
This added up to a remarkable 6,498 items, all donated by Mead families to support students throughout the district.
“When we saw the final number, it was overwhelming,” the FACE committee shared. “It was one of those moments where you realize the power of everyone’s collective effort.”
More than anything, the committee hopes students walked away with a deeper understanding of what it means to care for their community—how small actions, when combined, create meaningful change.
Looking Ahead: A New Mead Tradition
Given the success of this year’s drive, the FACE Committee plans to make supporting Pantry Packs an annual tradition at Margaret Mead Elementary.
Their advice for other schools?
- Make it personal: Choose a cause that directly impacts your local community.
- Give students ownership: Their leadership and enthusiasm can drive engagement in inspiring ways.
- Create a friendly challenge: A little competition goes a long way in keeping momentum high.
The Lake Washington Schools Foundation is deeply grateful to the Mead community for their generosity, leadership, and compassion. Their efforts remind us that when schools, families, and students come together with a shared purpose, extraordinary things can happen.
Start a Food Drive in Your Community
Inspired by Mead’s success? Schools, PTSA groups, workplaces, and community organizations can organize their own food drive to support Pantry Packs too. From single-item collections to friendly competitions, every drive helps ensure students have reliable access to food on weekends. Check out our Food Drive Toolkit for planning tips, printable materials, and a kid-friendly food list to make it easy to get started.
